Farmers in Kalikapur union of Manda upazila, Naogaon, blocked the Naogaon-Rajshahi highway at Joy Bangla intersection at around 9am on Wednesday (14 October) in protest at fertiliser allocations far below their needs. Local administration, agriculture officials and Manda police calmed the farmers, and traffic resumed.
The farmers are preparing land for early potato, mustard, onion and other vegetables and need chemical fertiliser now, but are not getting enough. Without it on time, they fear production will suffer.
According to sources, the union currently needs 2,500 bags of DAP, 2,500 bags of MOP (potash) and 1,000 bags of TSP, but the government's October allocation was only 200 bags of DAP, 90 bags of TSP and 182 bags of MOP. The union has one BCIC dealer (M/s Abul Enterprise) but no dealer appointed by BADC, and dealer-based allocation is why the union's share is low, sources said.
'I have been sitting in the queue for fertiliser since 3am and still have not got any. How will I grow crops without it?' said Sriman Ali Molla, a farmer from Chhoto Mulluk village. Akhil Chandra of the same village said he needs at least 25 bags this season.
Dealer Abul Hossain said he had received only a small allocation in October and farmers had vented their anger. Upazila agricultural extension officer Sima Karmakar said efforts were under way to get another allocation this month, and officials hope the shortage will ease once it arrives. The report is by Ajker Patrika's Manda (Naogaon) correspondent.
Photo: Hopeoflight / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0); a representative picture of a mustard field
Source: Ajker Patrika
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