The move to import fertilisers from Malaysia under a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement has become uncertain due to technical problems, officials have said.
The Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding with FELCRA Niaga Sdn Bhd (FNSB), Malaysia on July 16 last year for importing 0.28 million tonnes of DAP and the same amount of TSP.
But such a deal has stalled due to, what the officials concerned said, flaws in it.
They said the agreement was signed with the Malaysian company that has no prior experience in fertiliser exports, deviating from the usual practice of sourcing through experienced state-backed entities, the ministry sources claimed.
After signing of the agreement, the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia posted a press release in its official Facebook account, stating that that the agreement was signed on behalf of Malaysian government by the company's chairman Datuk Dr Sankar Raksam, while Ahmed Faisal Imam, Additional Secretary of Bangladesh's agriculture ministry, signed on behalf of Bangladesh side.
The then BADC Chairman Md Ruhul Amin Khan, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Md Shamim Ahsan, Deputy High Commissioner Mosammat Shahanara Monica and First Secretary (Commercial) Pranab Kumar Ghosh, among other officials, were present on the occasion.
The press release also described the agreement as a significant milestone in bilateral relations that would open a new horizon for agricultural development between the two countries.
Officials, however, said although the Malaysian company produces and imports fertilisers for local distribution, it has no record of exporting fertilisers to any country, the officials added.
As a result, the proposed fertiliser import could not be materialised even 11 after the signing of such agreement.
In August last year, the agreement was hurriedly finalised shortly before an official visit of the then Chief Adviser of the interim government to Malaysia, said an Agriculture ministry, preferring anonymity.
However, some officials had reportedly been active regarding the agreement even earlier, he said.
As part of the process, Joint Secretary of the Fertiliser Management Division of the agriculture ministry Md Khorshed Alam and BADC General Manager (Procurement) Ahmed Hassan Al Mahmud visited Malaysia from February 25 to 28, 2025.
Sponsored by the Malaysian company, the trip was intended to complete preliminary discussions on all aspects of the agreement.
Based on their recommendations, the schedule for signing the agreement was fixed, they mentioned.
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