Hundreds of farmers blocked a road in Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram for five hours on Friday, protesting a shortage of fertiliser and demanding the removal of a dealer and a sub-assistant agriculture officer.
The protest came a week after similar demonstrations in three unions of the upazila.
The farmers placed tree trunks on the road in front of BCIC-appointed dealer M/S Bhai Bhai Traders at Gabtala Bazar in Ballaverkhas Union around 7am on Friday.
They also confined Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Rafiqul Islam, alleging irregularities in fertiliser distribution.
The blockade continued until around noon. The farmers withdrew the protest after Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Alauddin went to the spot and assured them that they would receive fertiliser in phases.
Police later took Rafiqul to Kachakata Police Station with the assistance of the UNO.
Farmers said demand for fertiliser has increased with the cultivation of various crops and vegetables, but they have been unable to obtain adequate supplies since the beginning of the season.
On Friday morning, several hundred farmers gathered at Bhai Bhai Traders after hearing that fertiliser would be distributed there. They formed a queue, but the dealer later announced that the allocated stock had run out and stopped sales.
The farmers then blocked the road and staged demonstrations, demanding the removal of the dealer and the sub-assistant agriculture officer.
Local police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members went to the spot to bring the situation under control.
Farmer Omar Faruk said a similar protest had taken place in Kachakata about a week earlier over the fertiliser shortage.
“Although the UNO assured us that the crisis would be resolved, nothing has changed. The shortage is worsening by the day,” he said.
Mujibor, a farmer from Gabtala village, said, “Fertiliser shortages are hampering cultivation. Even after facing a lot of harassment, we cannot get fertiliser. That is why we blocked the road.”
Another farmer, Abdus Salam, said farmers had been visiting the dealer for days but were repeatedly told there was no fertiliser.
“Today, I stood in line, but later we were told that the fertiliser had run out. Agriculture officials say there is no shortage. Then why can’t we get fertiliser?” he said.
The owner of M/S Bhai Bhai Traders was reportedly unavailable. Its representative, Khairul Islam, declined to comment when contacted.
Nageshwari Upazila Agriculture Officer Shahriar Hossain said the upazila had sufficient fertiliser in stock.
“Fertiliser was scheduled to be distributed from two points today. The stock at one point ran out, prompting farmers who could not get fertiliser to confine the sub-assistant agriculture officer. We are trying to meet their demand from the other distribution point,” he said.
UNO Mohammad Alauddin said the problem arose after a large number of farmers gathered to collect fertiliser at the same time.
“We explained the situation to them and assured them that everyone would receive fertiliser in phases. If any irregularities are found in fertiliser distribution, action will be taken against the sub-assistant agriculture officer and the dealer,” he said.
Earlier on 14 September, farmers in Berubari, Bamandanga and Ramkhana unions of the same upazila had also blocked roads and staged protests over the fertiliser shortage.
