Substandard fertilisers continue to flood markets as authorities turn a blind eye
Selim Reza :
Despite multiple media reports highlighting the issue, the sale of substandard fertilisers from the vicinity of the BCIC buffer godown at Baghabari Port in Shahzadpur upazila, Sirajganj district, persists unabated.
This practice is putting thousands of farmers in the northern region at serious risk, raising concerns over the upcoming farming season.
Questions are mounting as to who will take decisive action to halt the sale of these below-standard fertilisers. Despite the publication of several news reports across various media outlets, the response from the relevant authorities has been lacklustre, limited to mere phone calls and bureaucratic exchanges. This inaction has left farmers facing significant uncertainty about their prospects for the upcoming season.
Farmers in the region have voiced their frustration, citing the silent role of the concerned authorities and the complications arising from existing regulations as factors contributing to their plight. They fear that those who have already applied these fertilisers, as well as those who may do so in the future, will suffer significant financial losses due to the poor quality of the products.
Given the gravity of the situation, urgent measures are needed to stop the sale of substandard fertilisers to protect
the livelihoods of thousands of farmers in the region. Farmers are calling for swift action and have even suggested that, if necessary, the military should intervene.
During a recent visit to the site, this correspondent observed approximately 4,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser left exposed to the elements near the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation’s (BCIC) buffer godown at Baghabari Port. Due to prolonged exposure to the open sky, the quality of the fertiliser has deteriorated, rendering it unsuitable for agricultural use.
BCIC reportedly refused to accept the fertilisers, which had been imported from abroad, due to their substandard quality. However, it has come to light that a group of unscrupulous individuals, in collaboration with local officials and leaseholders at Baghabari Port, are clandestinely selling these degraded fertilisers to farmers by mixing them with newer, higher-quality products. As a result, unsuspecting farmers are being deceived into purchasing and using these compromised fertilisers on their crops.
It is understood that approximately 12,000 metric tonnes of urea fertiliser were imported to Baghabari River Port by M/S Nabab Trading Company of Chattogram during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years. These fertilisers were intended to be sold to farmers in Sirajganj, Pabna, and Natore at subsidised prices. However, the fertiliser solidified before it could be tested in the laboratory.
Subsequently, the company declared bankruptcy, and a court ordered the fertilisers to be sold at auction. To date, this directive has not been implemented.
The owner of Nabab Trading is reportedly serving a prison sentence for fraud and breach of contract with the government. Taking advantage of this situation, a group of unscrupulous individuals, in collusion with Baghabari Port officials and relevant leaseholders, has been secretly selling the substandard fertilisers to farmers.
Kamruzzaman, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Shahzadpur, stated, “We have informed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) in Sirajganj about the issue. A team from BCIC has visited the site, but no action has been taken by the organisation yet. We are now awaiting further action.”
Babul Kumar Sutradhar, the Deputy Director of the Agricultural Extension Department (AED) in Sirajganj, commented, “Steps should be taken immediately to stop the sale of such substandard fertilisers. Additionally, those involved must be held accountable.”
However, when asked who would take the necessary steps to address the issue, Sutradhar declined to comment, leaving the question unanswered.
As the situation remains unresolved, the fate of the upcoming farming season hangs in the balance, with thousands of farmers left to bear the consequences of this ongoing malpractice.