Dealer deficiency leads to fertilizer crisis for farmers

Bhangura (Pabna) Correspondent :

About 60 thousand farmers have suffered due to lack of fertilizer as there is no local fertilizer dealer of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Company (BCIC) in four unions of Bhangura upazila of Pabna.
It has been reported that among local people have been appointed chemical fertilizer dealers in two unions and one municipality of the upazila, but in the other four unions, dealers have been given to people from Nagarbari area of Bera upazila of Pabna district. As a result, they supply fertilizers to these areas through sub-contractors. As the farmers of the area are not getting the allotted fertilizer on time, they are also forced to purchase the fertilizer from the sub-contractors at a higher price than the fixed price.
According to the information of the Upazila Agriculture Office, the fertilizer dealer assigned to Khanmorich Union of Bhangura Upazila is Jagannath Sheel, Most. Khadija Yasmin in Dilpashar Union, Rajkumar Sheel in Ashtamanisha Union and Abdul Waheed in Parvhangura Union. All of them are permanent residents of Nagarbari riverport area. According to the source, the Agriculture Officer decided to appoint dealers under the chairmanship of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer.
In this regard, Upazila Agriculture Officer Sharmin Jahan said, she cannot change the dealer at this moment.
UNO Nazmun Nahar said, necessary measures will be taken by talking to the agriculture officer to reduce the suffering of the farmers. Meanwhile, the local people demanded to cancel those dealers from distant areas and appoint fertilizer dealers among from the local people.