MEHERPUR, Nov 10: After the fall of Sheikh Hasina government, rumours about stocking of chemical fertiliser suddenly started to spread everywhere in the district.
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said, there is no shortage of the fertiliser.
According to local sources, leaders and workers of Chhatra League, supported by autocratic Sheikh Hasina, wanted to create tension among farmers by spreading such rumours.
The DAE-Meherpur sources said, an attempt was taken to create tension among the farmers by spreading shortage of chemical fertiliser across the country; they tried to spread the rumour through social media mostly; but, it is true there is no shortage of chemical fertiliser in the country as well as in Meherpur.
The allocation of fertiliser continues as before, the sources said.
The allocation of non-urea fertiliser from BCIC was 1,565 metric tons while the allocation of non-urea fertiliser from BADC was 1,565 mt, which is 17 per cent more than the seasonal demand.
Hafizur Rahman, president of District BCIC Fertiliser Dealers Association, said, former CL leader Shahinur Rahman, president of District BCIC Sub-Dealers Association, has been complaining about the fertiliser crisis in the district to the administration time and again; Shahinur Rahman was registered as a sub-dealer last year for political reasons; and he is working to put the current interim government in trouble.
Four fertiliser traders in the Pouro area said, the government fixed price of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) at Tk 1,050. Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) is selling at Tk 1,350, Murate of Potash (MoP) at Tk 1,000 and Urea fertiliser at Tk 1,350. They requested to buy fertiliser from the dealers' shops, ignoring the ill-propaganda.
Amanullah, fertiliser dealer in the Poura area of Meherpur said, in the last year nine sub-dealers were appointed in each union of Meherpur to supply fertiliser to doorsteps of farmers; due to partisan politics, Awami League leaders and activists were registered as sub-dealers; they used to sell fertiliser at high prices; they created syndicates hoping to earn more profits by creating rumours about short supply; they have been become more active after the government fall; and if the district administration cancels the registration of sub-dealers for political reasons, these artificial problems will be resolved.
Hasnat Ali, a resident of Ujalpur Village in Sadar Upazila, said, "I cultivated various crops on four bighas of land; this season, I have cultivated onion, chilli, cabbage, and cauliflower. One bag TSP and 25kg MoP fertiliser are required to prepare per bigha land; I have purchased fertiliser from shop in the area at the government-fixed price".
Bijoy Krishna Halder, deputy director (DD) of the DAE said, there has been no fertiliser shortage in Meherpur; rather, there is higher stock of fertiliser than the allocation; few unscrupulous sub-dealers wanted to create the artificial fertiliser shortage as it happened in the past.
But they could not do it because of administrative vigilant, the DAE DD added.
