Villagers at Dargar Khal in Char Ilisha, East Ilisha union of Bhola Sadar upazila, stopped a trawler and a nosimon on Tuesday and held 290 sacks of fertiliser, each containing 50 kg of TSP or DAP. They allege that fertiliser allotted to Bhola's farmers was being taken by river to Madaripur to be sold at higher prices.
The trawler's boatman, Shahid, denied smuggling. He said Rafiq Majhi and Mannan had bought it from Messrs Mizan Traders, a BADC dealer, and that it was going to farmers on the chars. Rafiq also said it was bought for farming and being sent to the chars, but he could not show a receipt for payment.
Local farmer Mainuddin says a receipt found with the boatman lists 80 sacks of DAP at Tk 1,050 each, Tk 84,000 in all, and asks where the other 210 sacks came from. Farmer Maksud alleges dealers draw fertiliser on false vouchers in farmers' names and send it elsewhere for more money. Daily Bangladesh said it could not reach the dealer, Mizan, by phone.
Bhola Sadar upazila agriculture officer Md Kamrul Hasan said the dealer's point told him the fertiliser was for farmers in Velumia, Veduria and Alimabad union in Barishal, who it is claimed grow watermelon, capsicum, snake gourd and cucumber on the chars. Whether anyone drew fertiliser on false papers will be investigated, he said.
That night Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sajal Kumar Das had the sacks put in a local godown and sealed it. He said no valid papers were available on the spot, and that action would follow verification and an inquiry.
Source: Daily Bangladesh
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