Fertiliser allocated for farmers in Bhola is allegedly being diverted through river routes and smuggled to Myanmar, raising concerns over illegal trading networks and the availability of essential agricultural inputs. In recent months, several sizeable consignments of urea and TSP fertiliser have been intercepted during operations by the Coast Guard and police.
Information gathered from law-enforcement sources suggests that an organised group, allegedly operating with the assistance of some fertiliser dealers, is involved in the illicit trade. Farmers have complained that dishonest dealers are selling fertiliser intended for local agricultural use on the black market, attracted by higher returns. Smugglers are then able to obtain the fertiliser and move it out of the country through waterways.
The scale of the seizures indicates that the problem is not limited to isolated incidents. During the first eight months of this year, separate operations by the Coast Guard and police resulted in the seizure of around 141 metric tonnes of fertiliser and the arrest of 12 people.
The Coast Guard’s South Zone seized approximately 55 metric tonnes of fertiliser and detained seven people during operations over three months. In separate police operations in March and August, around 86 metric tonnes were seized and five people arrested.
The latest seizure took place on Saturday, 5 September, in the Meghna River near Muktijoddha Bazar in Tazumuddin upazila. Acting on confidential information, the Coast Guard conducted a special operation and searched a suspicious trawler. Officers recovered about eight metric tonnes, equivalent to 160 sacks, of urea fertiliser allegedly being transported for smuggling to Myanmar. The trawler was also seized. Those involved reportedly fled after noticing the Coast Guard operation, preventing any arrests.
The latest incident follows several major seizures in coastal areas. On 12 August, police in Char Fasson seized 293 sacks of urea from a truck and a fishing trawler during an alleged attempt to transport the fertiliser towards Myanmar. Four people were arrested and later sent to court after cases were filed against them. Police said the detainees acknowledged during initial questioning that the fertiliser was being loaded onto a trawler for smuggling.
An even larger consignment was intercepted on 5 March at the Ilisha ferry terminal in Bhola Sadar. Police seized four trucks carrying 1,420 sacks of urea and TSP fertiliser, weighing about 71 metric tonnes in total. The trucks were reportedly being transported towards Majuchowdhury Ghat in Lakshmipur after the fertiliser had been loaded from a Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation warehouse at Bhola’s river terminal. Three drivers fled when police intervened, while another driver, identified as Arman, was detained.
Earlier seizures have also been reported along routes connecting Manpura and Hatiya. Around 760 sacks of fertiliser were recovered during previous anti-smuggling operations, while fishermen reportedly prevented an attempt to move about 3,000 sacks through Char Nizam, near the Char Fasson-Manpura boundary.
The suspected trafficking route has changed over time. According to local accounts, fertiliser was previously moved mainly by road, but smugglers have increasingly shifted towards waterways because transporting large consignments by road has become more vulnerable to detection. Fishing vessels and bulkheads used for carrying sand are reportedly being used to move fertiliser from different river terminals in Bhola.
The issue has also raised questions about the distribution system. Fertiliser for the southern region is stored at a BCIC buffer warehouse in Bhola, from where authorised dealers collect supplies. Local allegations suggest that, in some cases, dealers do not personally collect the fertiliser, instead sending representatives to receive consignments on their behalf. Farmers claim that some supplies subsequently enter the black market rather than reaching agricultural producers.
Under the distribution system, government-appointed dealers are expected to maintain sales centres in their designated areas. Farmers in Bhola, however, allege that many dealers do not operate effective sales outlets in the villages they are supposed to serve. Instead, some maintain nominal shops in urban areas, forcing farmers to travel considerable distances to obtain fertiliser. Farmers also allege that supplies are sometimes sold at inflated prices outside the formal distribution network.
The alleged diversion is particularly concerning because fertiliser is a critical input during crop production. Any disruption in access can increase cultivation costs, encourage informal trading and put additional pressure on farmers already facing fluctuating prices for seeds, fuel and other agricultural inputs.
The Bangladesh Farmers’ Unity Foundation has also raised concerns about the situation. Its central president, Md Sahabuddin Farazi, said that while agricultural officials maintain that there is no overall fertiliser shortage in Bhola, farmers at the field level are struggling to obtain supplies. He attributed the problem to alleged syndicates and smuggling networks and called for stronger action against those diverting fertiliser away from farmers.
He argued that occasional seizures alone would not be enough to dismantle the network, as many consignments could still be escaping detection. He called for measures to ensure that fertiliser allocated to farmers reaches them directly and for tougher action against suspected syndicates.
The Coast Guard said it continues to conduct operations to prevent smuggling and other forms of illicit trade through Bangladesh’s waterways. Its media officer, Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam, said such operations would continue in the future.
Meanwhile, the deputy director of Bhola’s Department of Agricultural Extension, Md Khairul Islam Mallik, said there was currently no fertiliser shortage in the district. He said the agricultural authorities had strengthened monitoring of dealers to prevent fertiliser from being smuggled out.
According to the official, the collection, sale and stockpiling of fertiliser are being monitored every month. The department is maintaining a strict position to ensure that supplies allocated for farmers in Bhola do not leave the country through illegal channels.
The repeated seizures nevertheless point to a continuing enforcement challenge. Effective monitoring will require close coordination between agricultural authorities, law-enforcement agencies and local administration, particularly at warehouses, dealer outlets, ferry terminals and river routes. Ensuring transparent distribution at the local level will also be crucial if subsidised fertiliser is to reach the farmers for whom it is intended.
