Diesel crisis disrupts irrigation in northern Bangladesh

Diesel shortage in Bangladesh’s northern districts is disrupting irrigation at a critical stage of the Boro season, raising fears of a drop in rice production and deepening anxiety among farmers.

Growers in 16 districts including Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj, said they are unable to irrigate their fields due to a lack of fuel.
As vast tracts of cropland are drying up during peak Boro cultivation many fear irreversible damage to the country’s main food crop.

The ongoing fuel crunch has left diesel-run irrigation pumps, tube wells and agricultural machinery idle across large swathes of farmland.

Farmers allege that most filling stations in Rangpur and Rajshahi regions are either out of stock or unable to meet demand, forcing them to turn to the open market where diesel is being sold at Tk 50-80 above the government-set price.

The price surge has added to already rising cultivation costs, pushing many farmers deeper into debt.
A visit to Madhupur Char area in Kaunia upazila of Rangpur found the situation particularly severe.
Farmers there said diesel prices have jumped from Tk 102 to Tk 120 per litre within the past five days, significantly increasing irrigation expenses.

“Costs were already high. Now with rising fuel prices it has become even harder to manage irrigation,” said farmer Saidul Islam.

In Shialkhowa village of Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonirhat, farmer Hasim Mia said he failed to find diesel after visiting several filling stations. “I finally had to buy from a local retailer at Tk 220 per litre,” he said.
Another farmer from Kakina village, Moslem Uddin, said, “I searched the entire msrket on Friday but couldn’t find even a litre of diesel. My Boro field is drying up,” he said, adding that he was willing to pay up to Tk 250 per litre but still could not secure any fuel.