CHATTOGRAM Aug 04: Bangladesh Fertilizer Dealers Association (BFDA) alleged that they face extortion and the imposition of illegal tolls while collecting the crucial agricultural input from Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL).
During this peak Aman paddy- planting season, BFDA leaders have issued a threat to suspend fertilizer collection from CUFL and halt supply in the Chattogram division unless the extortion and illegal tolls come to an end.
According to sources, contractors and dealers have been required to pay an additional Tk 600 per truck at the CUFL warehouse and an extra Tk 2,200 at Kalurghat Buffer Godown for loading fertilizer onto trucks. This situation has caused significant distress to the dealers and contractors, who are burdened by these illegal tolls when loading fertilizers.
Sources said that CUFL - owned by the state-owned Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation - has been supplying fertilizer to Chattogram Hill Tracts, Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur and neighbouring districts.
In the greater Chattogram region, there are 1200 dealers at the union level, with each union having a dealer appointed by the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation, overseeing 10 sub-dealers.
While CUFL supplies fertilizer to Chattogram's Anwara and Banshkhali from their bagging godown at the factory, the remaining fertilizers have been sourced from Kalurghat Buffer Godown in recent months.
However, powerful syndicates have been involved in extortion and the collection of illegal tolls for several years now.
BFDA leaders said they have raised this issue with both the administration and CUFL authority. Unfortunately, all discussions have been futile, as the extortion and illegal toll collection persist.
According to BFDA leaders, around 100 to 200 trucks are loaded with fertilizer from CUFL. Each truck is forced to pay an additional Tk 600 at the CUFL godown and an extra Tk 2,200 at Kalurghat Buffer Go-down. If the dealers refuse to pay these additional amounts, the syndicate halts the loading.
Shah Alam, a dealer, said they are unable to load fertilizer onto the trucks for supply without succumbing to the pressure of paying illegal tolls at the go-downs.
Mahabubur Rahman, general secretary of BFDA, said the dealers attempted to load trucks with fertilizer yesterday afternoon while the syndicate members demanded more money, leading the dealers to halt the loading and supply of fertilizer on that day.
He said, "If the extortion and toll collection do not cease, the fertilizer dealers will suspend the fertilizer collection and halt the supply to the farmers."
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