A fertilizer dealer’s decision to issue collection slips from his home triggered chaos and protests in Char Rajibpur upazila of Kurigram on Wednesday, with farmers alleging that the arrangement disrupted distribution at his warehouse.
The incident took place at the dealer point of Sufi Enterprise in Rajibpur Bazar in the morning.
Farmers said fertilizer was scheduled to be distributed among farmers from Wards 2, 3 and 4 of the union. They had been waiting outside the warehouse since early morning, but distribution did not begin at the scheduled time.
The situation became tense after some people arrived at the warehouse with slips obtained from dealer Sufi Alam’s nearby home and began collecting fertilizer.
Farmers waiting outside said they then learned that Alam was issuing slips from his home and feared that those who received the slips there would get fertilizer before those waiting at the warehouse.
Witnesses, including several shopkeepers near the warehouse, said some farmers subsequently entered the warehouse and took sacks of fertilizer.
The exact number of sacks allegedly taken could not immediately be confirmed. Witnesses said some of those who took the sacks may also have been farmers holding valid slips.
Sufi Alam said the warehouse had 500 sacks of urea for distribution that day, while several hundred people had gathered outside seeking fertilizer.
“My house is nearby. To manage the crowd and facilitate distribution, I was issuing slips from home. I had informed the upazila administration and agriculture department about the arrangement,” he said.
He alleged that some people prevented farmers holding slips from collecting fertilizer and later entered the warehouse and took away several sacks.
Some of the sacks had since been returned, he said, adding that the exact amount taken would be determined after an inventory.
Alam, a former vice-president of the upazila BNP and current member of its convening committee, also alleged that some identified Awami League activists had instigated the disorder.
He claimed some of them did not have cultivated land but had joined the crowd seeking fertilizer. He said he had provided their names to the officer-in-charge of the police station.
The local administration, however, disputed the claim that fertilizer had been looted.
Char Rajibpur Acting Upazila Executive Officer Sayekul Hasan Khan said some farmers had attempted to create disorder but that officials and police quickly brought the situation under control.
“There was no incident of fertilizer being looted. Some farmers attempted to create disorder. After receiving the information, we quickly went to the spot and brought the situation under control. Fertilizer was subsequently distributed properly,” he said.
Asked about farmers’ allegations of irregularities against the dealer, the UNO said action would be taken if an investigation found any irregularities.
Rajibpur police station Officer-in-Charge Shahinur Alam said there had been an attempt to take fertilizer, but police prevented it and later ensured smooth distribution.
As of 1pm Wednesday, farmers were continuing to protest at Rajibpur Bazar, demanding punishment for the dealer and cancellation of his dealership registration. They later brought out a procession towards the upazila administration premises.
The dispute comes amid repeated protests over fertilizer supplies in several Kurigram upazilas during the current Aman season.
Earlier, farmers in Bhurungamari and Roumari upazilas broke into dealers’ warehouses and took fertilizer. There have also been several protests over fertilizer supplies in Nageshwari upazila.
The agriculture department, however, says fertilizer has been allocated and supplied according to demand and that there is no shortage in the district.
It said the allocation is higher than last year and that an additional 500 tons of urea was allocated in September on top of the regular supply.
