Potato farmers and traders staged a human chain in Shahjahanpur, Bogra, demanding a halt to the increased cold storage rent and the additional fees imposed by the lessee.
The protest took place on Monday at noon at Jamadarpukur Haat in the upazila. During the demonstration, the protesters blocked the Bogra-Natore highway by dumping potatoes on the road and lying down.
Upon receiving the news, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shahjahanpur Police Station, Wadud Alam, arrived at the scene. He assured the protesters that he would discuss the issue with higher authorities to find a solution. Following this assurance, the situation returned to normal at around 1pm, after nearly an hour of protest.
The human chain was presided over by potato farmer Abdul Halim from the Jamadarpukur area of Shahjahanpur Upazila. Several speakers expressed solidarity with the protest.
Potato farmer Abdul Halim said: "At the beginning of the season, we had to buy seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides at high prices, which already increased our expenses. Now, with the additional charges imposed by the lessee and the hike in cold storage rent, it has become nearly impossible for farmers to store potatoes."
Shahjahan Ali, joint secretary of the Bogra District Potato Traders Association, said: "Cold storage owners are arbitrarily increasing the rent and engaging in various irregularities. The per-kilogram storage fee has been raised from Tk5 to Tk8. Even after submitting a written complaint to the deputy commissioner and the Upazila Executive Officer, no action has been taken."
Potato farmer Tota Mia mentioned that for the past few years, they have faced multiple issues while storing potatoes in cold storage facilities. Some cold storage owners even sell off their stored potatoes without permission. This year, they have imposed an unreasonable rent hike for storing potato sacks, aiming for excessive profits. He warned that if the rent increase is not withdrawn immediately, marginal farmers and small-scale potato traders will launch a larger movement.
Later, the protesters submitted a memorandum to the Shahjahanpur Upazila Executive Officer.