Tensions Over Fertiliser: Farmers chase dealer, detain agricultural officer

Farmers who had been standing in line since morning failed to receive fertiliser and got angry and blockaded the Kurigram-Bhurungamari highway for nearly an hour. They not only blocked the highway but also chased a fertiliser dealer and detained a sub-assistant agricultural officer.

After similar incidents in Bhurungamari, Roumari, Rajibpur and Nageshwari, such incidents occurred in the Bhogdanga and Ghogadaha unions of Kurigram Sadar upazila on Sunday (September 20).

Farmers blocked the road after becoming angry over delays in fertiliser distribution at the dealer point of Messrs AKM Mostafizur Rahman in Mathherpar area of Bhogdanga Union. Traffic came to a halt. The upazila agriculture officer and police went to the spot and brought the situation under control, after which traffic resumed.

Meanwhile, in Ghogadaha Union, farmers chased fertiliser dealer Saifur Rahman after failing to receive fertiliser. When Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officer Mamun-or-Rashid told farmers to stand in line to collect fertiliser, they confronted him, alleging favouritism, and detained him.

The farmers alleged that dealers were selling fertiliser to black-market traders at night with the backing of sub-assistant agricultural officers. As a result, they said they were being forced to buy fertiliser from retail shops at Tk 45 to Tk 50 per kilogram.

Several attempts were made to contact Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officer Mamun-or-Rashid by phone, but he did not answer. He also did not respond to a text message.

Kurigram Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Kamal Hossain said, “When the sub-assistant agricultural officer assigned to oversee fertiliser distribution asked the farmers to form a queue, an argument broke out and the farmers created a disturbance. A police team later went there and brought the situation under control. The situation is now normal.”

Kurigram Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Mst Nahida Afrin said an additional 100 sacks of fertiliser had been supplied to the dealer point. She said more farmers than the allocated amount had gathered at the points and attempted to create a disturbance. The situation is now calm with the assistance of police, she added.

Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Annapurna Debnath said, “There is no fertiliser shortage in the district. The current government is farmer-friendly. As eggplant and maize cultivation has increased this season, the government has already allocated an additional 1,000 tonnes of fertiliser considering the farmers’ needs. Distribution at the field level is currently underway.”

She added, “Some unscrupulous dealers are delaying fertiliser distribution, causing harassment to farmers. There is no opportunity for anyone to manipulate fertiliser distribution. Those involved in conspiracies over fertiliser are being identified.”

Earlier, farmers in Nageshwari blocked a road and staged a protest after failing to receive fertiliser from a dealer, and they also detained an agricultural officer. Before that, local farmers were accused of looting fertiliser from a warehouse in Rajibpur upazila. Tensions erupted when the angry farmers attempted to beat the dealer with sticks, and police later brought the situation under control.

On August 23, angry farmers looted fertiliser from a warehouse in Shilkuri Union of Bhurungamari after failing to receive supplies. An investigation later found evidence of negligence by the dealer. Fifteen days later, another group of farmers broke into a warehouse in Roumari and took away fertiliser.