Farmers in at least five villages in Kurigram’s Bhurungamari upazila are living with fears of arrest and harassment after a case was filed following a protest over fertiliser supplies earlier this month.
The case was filed after protesters allegedly confined the upazila agriculture officer during the demonstration. Eleven people have been named, while another 50 to 60 unidentified individuals have also been accused. Two farmers have so far been arrested. They were released on bail after spending eight days in custody.
Several farmers said they were now reluctant to sleep at home at night because they feared police action. The uncertainty is also affecting their agricultural work, with some saying they are unable to properly tend their Aman paddy and winter vegetable fields.
Protest over fertiliser supplies
The incident began on 7 September in Gonair Kuti village of Bangasonahat union, where hundreds of farmers gathered outside the shop of fertiliser dealer Amjad Hossain.
The farmers alleged that they were receiving only five to seven kilograms of fertiliser despite the high demand during the Aman cultivation season. Some said they had visited the shop several times without being able to obtain supplies. Others raised allegations of favouritism in distribution.
The protest later escalated, with demonstrators setting fire to bamboo and rubbish and blocking a road. When upazila agriculture officer Abdul Jabbar arrived at the scene, a group of protesters allegedly confined him for some time. Police later went to the area and rescued him.
Jabbar filed a case with Bhurungamari police station the following day.
Fear spreads through villages
Residents said the case had created an atmosphere of fear across several villages in Bangasonahat union.
During a visit to five villages last Friday, several farmers in Gonair Kuti were initially unwilling to speak. Some reportedly mistook the journalists for plain-clothes police officers.
Shahjahan Ali, a 55-year-old farmer, said they had initially thought the visitors were from the police station. According to him, three farmers had left their work shortly before because they were frightened.
Similar caution was reported at farmers’ homes. Family members were said to be checking visitors’ identities before calling the men of the household.
Residents said many men were continuing to work in the fields during the day but spending the night at relatives’ homes. Some were also avoiding visits to fertiliser dealers because of fears that they could be arrested.
Shyuli Begum, 34, from Gonair Kuti Madhyapara, said her husband, Sultan Molla, had not stayed at home since 8 September after being named in the case.
Sultan has cultivated Aman paddy on one and a half bighas of land and aubergines on another bigha. Shyuli said the uncertainty surrounding the case had made it difficult for him to work in the fields.
“We do not have enough money to bear the legal expenses, so we cannot arrange anticipatory bail,” she said.
Farmer Kalim Uddin, 62, said his younger brother Abdus Salam had also been named in the case and was now staying away from home.
Kalim said he worked in the fields during the day but stayed at a relative’s home at night because of fears of police action.
Two farmers released after eight days in custody
The two farmers arrested in connection with the case spent eight days in custody before securing bail.
Al Amin Molla, 47, was one of them. He said he had suffered considerably during his time in jail and had found it difficult to return to normal work after his release.
His wife, Rowshan Ara Begum, said the family had spent around Tk 20,000 to secure his release.
Another farmer, 45-year-old Suruj Mia, also spent eight days in jail before returning home on bail.
For families dependent on farming, the disruption comes at a particularly sensitive time. Aman cultivation is underway, while farmers are also preparing land for winter vegetables. Those staying away from home or avoiding the fields face difficulties maintaining their crops and managing routine agricultural work.
Local representatives seek withdrawal of case
Jahurul Islam, a member of Bangasonahat Union Parishad, said the case had spread fear across several villages. He called for the case to be withdrawn, saying many farmers were staying away from their homes.
According to him, disputes over insufficient fertiliser supplies have occurred almost every year.
Former Bangasonahat Union Parishad chairman Shahjahan Ali Molla also called for the case to be withdrawn. He said farmers in different parts of the country had staged protests and blocked roads over fertiliser supplies, while there had also been incidents in which agriculture officials were confined.
He argued that farmers in the area were already financially vulnerable and should not face additional hardship because of the case.
Police say innocent people will not be arrested
Agriculture officer Abdul Jabbar, however, said he had been assaulted during the protest and that the matter was now in the hands of the police.
Bhurungamari police station officer-in-charge Azim Uddin denied that police were conducting a large-scale operation. He said innocent people would not be arrested and that investigators were examining video footage of the incident to identify those involved.
Bhurungamari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Amrita Debnath said she had not received information that any farmer had left home because of the case.
Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Annapurna Debnath said senior authorities were monitoring the situation and that the district administration was taking steps accordingly. She said people who were not involved in the incident had no reason to fear.
The case has left the affected communities facing two immediate concerns: the ongoing legal process and the disruption to agricultural work. While police say those responsible will be identified through the investigation, farmers and their families remain concerned about their safety, legal expenses and the impact of the uncertainty on their crops.
