A parliamentary standing committee on the agriculture ministry has recommended tighter monitoring of fertiliser distribution, transparency in appointing dealers and action against those creating artificial shortages, after members said farmers are not getting what they need despite ample stocks. Dhaka Post reports this from the record of the committee's first meeting on 16 September, chaired by Laxmipur-1 MP Md Shahadat Hossain.
Agriculture Secretary Md Selim Khan told the meeting that there is no shortage anywhere, including the 16 districts of the north, and that more fertiliser has been supplied this year than in the past five. He put the complaints down to the new distribution policy, business disputes among dealers, attempts at artificial shortage, overcharging at retail, attempted black-market smuggling, and panic around advance stocking for the rabi season.
A monitoring cell runs from 9am to 10pm and 64 tag officers have been appointed in 64 districts, he said. Five agriculture officers have been withdrawn for negligence and five dealerships cancelled. Under the new policy a dealer must be a permanent resident and voter of the union concerned, and outside dealers who do not qualify will lose their dealerships in stages.
Members described a different picture. Md Mostafizur Rahman said farmers did not get the fertiliser they needed in the Aman season and that there are complaints of bags sold for up to Tk 1,700. Golam Rasul said two or three trucks of fertiliser were stopped at Bagharpara on suspicion of smuggling, and that about 20 of the upazila's 37 dealers are not local. Md Rokon Uddin Babul said dealers in Nilphamari are getting lower allocations in some months.
Members proposed stronger supervision at upazila and district level, an end to smuggling, allocation according to demand, and giving MPs the names and mobile numbers of monitoring-cell officers. Joint Secretary Md Nuruzzaman also set out ministry plans including farmer cards, canal excavation and reviving the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority.
Source: Dhaka Post
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