Farmers in Sundarganj, Gaibandha, accuse a dealer of the state Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) of claiming a shortage to sell fertiliser at inflated prices. Pay Tk 200 to 300 extra a bag, they say, and you get what you need without even a slip; otherwise you go home empty-handed.
On Thursday the dealer point at Shobhaganj bazar, M/s Tamal Chandra Saha, was found shut, with several farmers who had waited since morning standing nearby. They allege that the block supervisor and the dealer's men keep making excuses, and that the stock and distribution registers do not add up.
Noya Mia, 45, a trader from Gongshar Hat, said fertiliser was leaving by the vanload while buyers like him were told to wait, then told in the afternoon there was none left; on paper there was stock, in the warehouse there was not. A farmer who asked not to be named said people stand for hours to buy at the government price while others pay extra in front of the agriculture officer.
The dealer's manager, Bidhu Ranjan, denied overcharging but admitted some fertiliser left the warehouse without receipts. His assistant Chandi Das said sales day was chaotic and they could not tell who took how many bags, so the accounts did not balance. The owner, Tamal Chandra Saha, said nothing of the kind had happened at his dealer point.
Sub-assistant agriculture officer Md Mizanur Rahman Mondal said he found 10 bags on a van, which the dealer said belonged to two farmers, and had heard of the register discrepancy but not seen it. Upazila agriculture officer Md Kaiyum Chowdhury said he had asked for the dealer's stock and sales registers and would act if the allegations were proved. Upazila nirbahi officer Iffat Jahan Tuli also promised an inquiry.
The report is by Ajker Patrika's Sundarganj (Gaibandha) correspondent Md Jahidul Islam.
Source: Ajker Patrika
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