330 sacks of fertilizer seized after breaking warehouse locks

There is no fertilizer in the market. Yet sacks of fertilizer were stockpiled inside a warehouse. An attempt was also underway to smuggle the fertilizer under the cover of darkness. Acting on a tip off, the administration conducted a raid and found such a situation. Later, authorities broke the locks of two warehouses and seized 330 sacks of fertilizer including urea, MOP, TSP and DAP.

The raid was conducted around 12:30 pm Thursday at Kartikpara Bazar in Shilmaria Union of Puthia, Rajshahi.

The raid was led by Puthia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Liaquat Salman and Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Shibu Das. Upazila Agriculture Officer Smriti Rani provided overall assistance.

Additional Agriculture Officer Kazi Iffat Tamanna, Agriculture Extension Officer Md. Israfil Hossain, the in charge of Sadhanpur Police Outpost under Puthia Police Station and police personnel, members of the Detective Police and Ansar members were present during the raid.

During the raid, two warehouses belonging to Md. Saidul Islam, owner of Nishi Pesticide Bazar at Kartikpara Bazar, were searched. A total of 330 sacks of fertilizer stored without authorization were found there. The fertilizer included urea, MOP, TSP and DAP.

Upon learning about the raid, businessman Saidul Islam fled. Later, in the presence of local traders and the general secretary of the Kartikpara Traders Association, the administration broke the locks of the warehouses and seized the fertilizer.

Earlier, several people had been trying to remove fertilizer under the cover of darkness. Local residents stopped a van. Five sacks of TSP and five sacks of MOP fertilizer were found in the van. The 10 sacks of fertilizer were later handed over to the administration.

The administration decided to sell the fertilizer to local farmers at government fixed prices. The seized 330 sacks of fertilizer have also been stored at a BCIC dealer's warehouse. They will later be sold to farmers at the fixed price. The proceeds from the sales will be deposited into the government treasury.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Smriti Rani said, “Regular market monitoring is underway across the upazila. Acting on a tip off, 330 sacks of fertilizer were seized during a raid at Kartikpara Bazar. The additional 10 sacks of fertilizer seized by locals while being smuggled under the cover of darkness were also sold to farmers at the government price.”

Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Shibu Das said 330 sacks of various types of fertilizer were seized during the raid conducted in the presence of the UNO. The fertilizer has been stored at a BCIC dealer's warehouse. The fertilizer will be sold to ordinary farmers at government fixed prices. The proceeds from the sales will be deposited into the government treasury.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Liaquat Salman said, “Upon learning about the raid, businessman Saidul Islam fled. Later, in the presence of the general secretary of the Kartikpara Traders Association and local traders, the locks of two warehouses were broken and 330 sacks of various types of fertilizer were seized.”