Special Correspondent:

Milk Vita, also the largest milk producing company of the country, has now reached on the brink of sinking due to massive corruption and irregularities done by its former Chairman Sheikh Nadir Hossain Lipu, it is alleged.

The former Chairman Nadir Hossain Lipu plundered crores of taka from the company utilizing the power of recently ousted autocratic Awami League government. Due to his single dominance, no one of the company dared to open mouth against his mischief.

As a result, country’s largest liquid milk producing and marketing company Milk Vita, also a cooperative organization of the Bangladesh Milk Producers Co-operative Union Limited, is now facing manifold problems and running like crippled ones.

Allegation has been raised that, the recently departed former chairman of Milk Vita Sheikh Nadir Hossain Lipu closed the state-owned feed producing plant of Milk Vita with the aim to marketing a special factory’s feeds widely. Due to closure of the state-owned feed factory and marketing of Lipu’s special recommended company’s substandard feeds, hundreds of cattle including milk providing cows fell into sick and died from different diseases. In contrary, hundreds of dairy farm owners in the region incurred huge losses after purchasing of below standard cattle feeds. Similarly, Nadir Hossain Lipu and his associates amassed crores of taka by selling and marketing that substandard feeds.

Photo: TDS

It is learnt that, to ensure nutritious and balanced food for millions of cattle in Shahjadpur and Ullapara upazila in Sirajganj district, which are termed as cow grazing lands in the region, the Milk Vita established a cow feed producing plant at Lahiri Mohanpur area in ​​Ullapara upazila of Sirajganj district in 2024 at a cost of Tk 27 crore.

The factory was able to produce about five metric tonnes of feeds per hour.

It was said that, the factory would be run only for non-profit purposes with the assistance of concerned association (Samity) members, where only farm owners would be able to buy cow feed at a lower prices.

With the aim, the price of cow feeds was also deducted from the milk suppliers every month. Even selling of the factory’s food in the outside market was completely prohibited. However, the nutritious food project gained popularity in a short time due to maintaining of its best quality. The cows in every farm became healthier and the production of milk also increased compared to the previous times.

But after a few days, the then chairman Nadir Hossain Lipu closed the feed producing unit in 2016, on the pretext of policy obstacles and technical errors.

At the same time, Tk 6.5 crore of the Mill funds was also withdrawn and misappropriated by him. In addition to closing the feed factory without respecting the law, the farmers were forced to buy cow feeds from a particular company named Rumi Feed. Former Chairman Lipu managed some dishonest officials and forced the farmers to buy Rumi Feed at a higher rate. This is why, many cattle fell into sick at that time after consuming the substandard feeds. Besides, the production of milk started decreasing. Farmers and officials of Milk Vita, who protested the incident, had to face the wrath of Lipu.

Abul Hossain, a dairy farm owner of Shahzadpur said, “The quality of cow feed manufactured at the Milk Vita’s own factory was very standard. We got that feeds for two years. Then the factory was suddenly closed down, so we didn’t get that food anymore. Instead, some officials of the Milk Vita supplied us a type of below standard feed named Rumi Feed.”

Another farmer named Hanif Sarkar said, “If Rumi Feed had not been taken, our milk would not have been taken to Milk Vita. As a result, farmers had to face various kinds of harassment. After feeding low-quality of feeds, many cattle got sick and even died. At the same time, the milk production capacity of cows decreased a lot.”

On condition of anonymity, some employees of Milk Vita said, “Every in-charge was pressured at that time to sell Rumi Feed to the dairy farm owners. If they did not listen to the chairman, they were harassed by him and even transferred to different places. That is why, they had to sell Rumi Feed to cattle farmers. Consequently, Milk Vita fell into a difficult situation day by day.”

Milk Vita cow feed factory manager Dr. Babul Akhter said, “Former Chairman Lipu closed the fodder producing unit of the Milk Vita in a well-planned manner and brought a type of feed called Rumi Feed for marketing. Even some officers of Milk Vita were forced to supply Rumi Feed to the cattle farmers largely.”

Milk Vita Deputy General Manager Shariful Islam Talukder said, “Basically, the feed producing unit was closed citing policy and technical issues. In reality, there was no such as technical issue. The matter is now being investigated.”

Commander Zahirul Alim, President of the Interim Management Committee of the Milk Vita, said, “The corruption issues of the former Chairman are under probe. The process has been taken to resume production of the factory soon. Once the factory is operational, farmers will get best quality of cow feed as well as milk supply will increase like previous period.”

The honest officers, employees and milk suppliers of the Milk Vita urged the interim government and ACC to take legal action against the culprits, who were behind such corruption and irregularities at the Milk Vita.