In Gaibandha's Sundarganj, No Fertiliser Without Tk 200-300 Extra Per Sack, Farmers Allege

A BCIC dealer in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha has been accused of selling fertiliser at inflated prices by showing a crisis. Affected farmers allege that those who pay extra per sack get fertiliser as demanded, while those who do not must wait for hours and return home empty-handed. Farmers have expressed anger over the matter.

Last Thursday, the fertiliser dealer point at Shovaganj Bazar in the upazila, Messrs Tamal Chandra Saha, was found closed. Several farmers who had come to buy fertiliser were seen waiting nearby. Some of them had been waiting since the morning to collect fertiliser.

Several farmers alleged that when they go to collect fertiliser, the block supervisor (BS) and the dealer's staff make various excuses, so they often have to return home without fertiliser. But if they pay extra per sack, they get fertiliser as demanded — and then no slip is even required.

The farmers further alleged that discrepancies have been found in the dealer's fertiliser stock and distribution registers. They claim these irregularities are happening in the presence of the agriculture officials responsible for supervision.

Naya Mia (45), a trader at Gongsar Hat, said he came to collect fertiliser in the afternoon along with eight to ten others. Fertiliser was leaving by vans. When they asked, they were only told to 'take it at the end'. By the afternoon they were told there was no fertiliser left. Later calculation showed fertiliser existed on paper, but there was none in the warehouse.

A farmer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said people have to stand for hours to buy fertiliser at the government price and are told there is none. Yet, right before the agriculture officer's eyes, many are taking fertiliser by paying Tk 200 to 300 extra per sack. He alleged the responsible officer pretends not to see.

Asked about the matter, the establishment's manager Bidhu Ranjan said by mobile phone that no fertiliser had been sold at extra prices. Some fertiliser had receipts, while some had left the warehouse without receipts — matters they themselves had not understood. He said 'Sir' (the agriculture officer) had called him to discuss these issues and he was there, and he disconnected the call after asking the reporter to learn more from Chandi Da at the dealer point.

Manager's assistant Chandi Das was sitting beside the closed dealer point. On the extra-price allegation, he said there had been a 'free-for-all' on Wednesday, the fertiliser selling day; they could not understand who took how many sacks. Many still have not paid, and they are at a loss. That is why they could not reconcile the fertiliser accounts, he said.

The establishment's proprietor, dealer Tamal Chandra Saha, said by mobile phone that no such incident had occurred at his dealer point.

The responsible sub-assistant agriculture officer, Md Mizanur Rahman Mondol, said that at the time of the incident he was in Kanchibari Union working on agriculture cards. At that moment 'Sir' phoned him and asked him to go to the spot. There he saw 10 sacks of fertiliser on a van. When he asked the dealer, he was told the sacks belonged to two farmers. He then left the place. Asked whether there was any discrepancy in the stock and distribution registers, he said he had heard of it but had not seen it.

Upazila agriculture officer Md Kaiyum Chowdhury said he has heard of the matters. He has asked the dealer concerned for the stock and sales register books to investigate whether there was any discrepancy in distribution. If the allegations prove true, action will be taken against those responsible, he said.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Iffat Jahan Tuli said there is no scope for selling fertiliser at extra prices. A discrepancy in the fertiliser stock and sales registers is undesirable. She assured that the matters will be investigated and action taken.