A fertiliser dealer in Rajibpur, Kurigram, who sits on the upazila BNP convening committee, has been accused of keeping government-allocated urea in his warehouse to sell at a premium. On Wednesday morning angry farmers broke the lock on the store behind his outlet, Shafi Enterprise, at Rajibpur Bazar and tried to take the fertiliser. Agriculture officials arrived, restored order and distributed the stock among the farmers. The dealer, Shafiur Rahman, has been served a show-cause notice.

According to the agriculture department and local sources, 500 sacks of urea were in the warehouse. Delays in issuing distribution slips on Wednesday morning built up frustration, and at about 10.30am the crowd broke the lock.

Two farmers waiting there, Mofizul Haque and Abdul Hakim, said they had been in the queue since 3am. This dealer had more urea than others, they said, but it was being held back to create an artificial shortage and sell above the government rate.

Shafiur Rahman denied the allegation. Several hundred farmers had turned up for 500 sacks, he said, and slips were being issued from a nearby house to avoid chaos. Some people had incited an attack on the store, he claimed, among them a few 'known' Awami League figures who own no farmland.

Upazila agriculture officer Toufiq Al Zubair said the situation had been brought under control and distribution completed in the presence of officials; things are now normal. Farmers have also accused another Rajibpur dealer, Abdul Hai, of selling government fertiliser priced at Tk 1,350 for Tk 1,730. He cited the cost of buying extra stock in Chattogram, but the officer said withholding government fertiliser and selling it dear is unlawful, and action is being taken against him too.

Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Annapurna Debnath said fertiliser had been distributed in Rajibpur in the presence of the agriculture officer and the administration, and the upazila agriculture officer had been directed to act against dealer Shafiur Rahman, starting with the show-cause notice.

Source: Prothom Alo