Staff Reporter :
The famers of the northern district Dinajpur on Friday blocked a road for not getting fertilizers from the dealers though they waited in the queue for hours.
A number of farmers in Kaharol Upazila of the district stood in queue in front of different dealer shops of Upazila Bazar since morning.
Some of the farmers said that they waited for a long time in the line but finally they did not get fertilizers. They alleged that the dealers sold the fertilizers to their family members and favourite persons.
The aggrieved farmers also alleged that the dealers have tagged Tk 100 to Tk200 in each sack of fertilizers.
The government has fixed the price of Urea and TSP at Tk1,100 per sack while DAP at Tk800, and MOP at Tk750.
Being enraged with this incident, they blocked the Uchitpur Kaharol roads from 12 pm to 1:30pm.
The famers who could not buy fertilizers said they are in fear for the cultivation of paddy and other vegetables for not getting sufficient fertilizers and high price.
If they don’t get adequate fertilizers, it will affect their production and incur a heavy loss.
Rayhanul Islam from Uchitpur village said, “Over the last few days the farmers in our area are not getting fertilizers. If it is found in some shops, the dealers are charging additional money than the government fixed rate. Even we are not getting fertilizers as per our demand.”
“I visited the dealers for five days for MOP fertilizers but did not get it. So we have been compelled to block the road today,” Zakirul Islam of Mukundapur Panishail village of the Upazila said.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Abu Zafar Md Sadeq said, “The farmers have brought allegation against the dealers. For the sake of proper distribution of fertilizers, the godowns of ten BCIC and BADC dealers have been sealed.”
The dealers are supposed to distribute fertilizers in presence of the officers of the Agriculture Department, but the farmers blocked the road when they did not get it.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Manirul Hasan said, “We have made a list of the farmers. We have assured them that they will get fertilizers. Then they withdraw their road blockade.”
He also said that no irregularities will be tolerated in the distribution of fertilizers.
The government recently increased the price of fertilizers especially urea by Tk 6 per kilogram.
Apart from this, the recent price hike of fuel especially diesel has created much anxiety among the farmers over their agricultural produce.
They said that diesel and fertilizers are the major components for a better harvest and if they don’t get it in time they may face loss.
