Farmers in Bhurungamari upazila of Kurigram staged a brief road blockade on Wednesday morning, triggered by growing anxieties over a potential fertiliser crisis. The unrest followed a late-night administrative raid on Tuesday, during which local officials recovered 23 sacks of government-allocated fertiliser—including 16 sacks of urea—illegally stored inside a brick kiln. The seizure heightened fears of supply shortages among local growers, many of whom had been struggling to secure adequate agricultural inputs for days ahead of peak crop management cycles.
Frustrated by delays in the morning distribution schedule at designated dealer points near the Sonahat land port, crowds of anxious farmers gathered on the arterial roadway. The sudden influx of eager buyers disrupted traffic along the crucial trade route for a brief period as frustration mounted over perceived scarcity.
Prompt intervention by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Amrit Deb Nath and local police restored order. Arriving swiftly at the scene, the upazila chief used a megaphone to address the gathering, reassuring cultivators that local stockpiles remain entirely adequate to meet regional demand. Authorities organised an orderly queue system, allowing distribution to proceed smoothly by midday.
Farmers voiced deep concerns over recurring supply bottlenecks, noting that spending days visiting dealers without securing stock threatens their seasonal harvests. However, the administration reiterated that sufficient reserves have been allocated to the sub-district, urging growers to remain calm and purchase supplies through authorised channels without panic.
