Fertiliser price hike sparks protest in Lalmonirhat

Farmers besiege a dealer's outlet at Darukuti Bazar in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila on Friday as fertiliser is being sold there at double the government-fixed rates. Photo: Star

Farmers in Sadar and Hatibandha upazilas staged demonstrations yesterday and the day before, protesting sale of fertiliser by the authorised dealers at prices higher than those fixed by the government.
In Sadar upazila, several hundred farmers on Friday confined a fertiliser dealer to his shop at Durakut Bazar for four hours and also blocked Lalmonirhat-Mogholhat Road for two hours.
Farmer Haider Ali, 38, of Durakuti village in Sadar upazila said he has purchased per kg of urea for Tk 29 against the government fixed price of Tk 14, TSP for Tk 42 against the government fixed price of Tk 20 and DAP for Tk 50 against the fixed rate of Tk 25 from dealer Rafiqul Islam's shop at the bazar.
“Taking advantage of opposition sponsored blockade, the dealer has created artificial crisis of different types of fertiliser and is selling those at higher prices,” he alleged.
On the same issue, farmers of Goddimari and Singimari villages in Hatibandha upazila staged a demonstration on Lalmonirhat- Burimari highway yesterday for two hours from 8:00am.
A group of unscrupulous dealers are selling fertilisers at higher rates, showing a cause of stock shortage at government goodown, they said.

Farmers stage a demonstration on the same issue on Lalmonirhat-Burimari Road in Hatibandha upazila of the district yesterday. Photo: Star

Fertiliser dealer Rafiqul Islam of Durakuti Bazar under Sadar upazila said our stock is nearly exhausted as we could not lift fertiliser from the  godown due to road blockade programme.
Contacted, Assistant Director Abdul Goni of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) in Lalmonirhat said there is no stock shortage in the godown.