A case has been filed in connection with an alleged assault on an upazila agriculture officer during a protest and road blockade over fertiliser shortages in Bhurungamari, Kurigram. Eleven people have been named in the case, while another 50 unidentified individuals have also been accused.
Police have already arrested two of the named accused. The inclusion of a large number of unidentified people, however, has left ordinary farmers worried about possible harassment and arrest. Some farmers say they are avoiding their homes at night because of fear of being detained.
The incident took place on 7 September in front of a fertiliser dealer’s warehouse at Shahid Mor on the Bhurungamari-Sonahat land port road in Bangasonahat Union. Several hundred farmers had gathered to demand fertiliser, alleging that they were not receiving supplies according to their needs and that some customers were being given larger quantities through favouritism.
At one stage, protesters placed bamboo poles across the road and set fire to them, effectively blocking traffic. On receiving the information, Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdul Jabbar went to the scene and attempted to calm the farmers and explain the situation.
According to the complaint, a number of people at the scene subsequently surrounded the agriculture officer and a block supervisor, preventing them from leaving and allegedly assaulting them. The two officials eventually took shelter inside a nearby house, according to witnesses.
Agriculture Officer Abdul Jabbar later filed the case with Bhurungamari Police Station. Officer-in-Charge Azim Uddin confirmed that the case had been registered, saying the allegations included obstruction of government duties and an assault on the agriculture officer.
Farmers who were present at the scene said the dispute arose largely from the way fertiliser was being distributed. They claimed that several hundred farmers had gone to the dealer’s warehouse and that an initial announcement was made that each person would receive 10 kilograms of fertiliser.
However, they alleged that some relatively affluent customers were able to obtain several sacks by paying money or through personal connections, while ordinary farmers had to make repeated trips without receiving supplies. According to them, frustration over the distribution process gradually intensified and contributed to the confrontation.
Mozammel Haque, one of the farmers present, said the situation became so tense that the agriculture officer and the block supervisor had to take shelter in another person’s house to protect themselves. He estimated that between 600 and 700 people were present at the scene.
He also said that the upazila executive officer later arrived and announced through a loudspeaker that farmers would receive fertiliser in smaller quantities, with two people sharing one sack. According to Haque, however, some farmers later saw people obtaining five to seven sacks each in exchange for money.
The subsequent filing of the case has added another layer of anxiety among farmers in the area. A farmer from Gunaiyer Kuti village said police had been coming to the area at night following the arrests of two people. He claimed that farmers who work in the fields throughout the day were now reluctant to sleep at home and were spending nights elsewhere.
Another farmer, Ramzan Ali, said he had been present during the confrontation and had tried to help protect the agriculture officer and block supervisor. He said those directly responsible for the incident should face legal action, but expressed concern over the inclusion of unidentified accused in the case.
“If those who committed the offence are identified, they should be arrested,” he said. “But the fear now is about the unidentified accused. People do not know who might be detained.”
Agriculture Officer Abdul Jabbar confirmed that he was the complainant in the case but declined to provide further details when contacted.
Police said they were examining video footage from the incident to identify those actually involved. Officer-in-Charge Azim Uddin said efforts were under way to arrest the remaining accused.
He also sought to reassure farmers who fear being caught up in the case, saying the footage would be analysed before action was taken. According to him, people who were not involved in the incident would not be arrested.
The episode highlights the tension that can arise when farmers struggle to secure fertiliser during periods of high demand. For cultivators, timely access to fertiliser is closely linked to crop production, making shortages or perceived unfairness in distribution a particularly sensitive issue. In Bhurungamari, a dispute that began over access to fertiliser has now developed into a criminal case, leaving both the authorities and local farmers facing pressure to restore calm while ensuring that those genuinely responsible are held accountable.
