BNP's misrule in 2001-2006: Farmers faced acute fertilizer crisis even during the caretaker government due to the BNP-Jamaat syndicate

Farmers in the country suffered a severe shortage of fertilizers during the BNP-Jamaat government in 2001-06. Many farmers lost their lives while protesting for fertilizers. The national dailies bear testimonies of how active the syndicate was even during the caretaker government in 2007. Fertilizer dealers in Bogra did not distribute the fertilizer allotted to them in the name of two BNP leaders. It created huge trouble for the farmers in the locality.

According to a report titled 'Bipake Krishak (Farmers in trouble)', the farmers of Amrul Union of Shajahanpur (Majhira) Upazila of Bogra staged protests in Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) office for not getting fertilizers despite having enough stock. However, the UNO assured them of providing fertilizers. Farmers said that Amrul Union BNP President Atahar Ali and Shajahanpur Thana Juba Dal General Secretary Enamul Haque Enam are fertilizer dealers of that union. They were not distributing any fertilizer among the farmers during the ongoing boro season, even though they hoarded the fertilizer allotted to them. In this situation, more than three hundred farmers collectively staged a demonstration at the UNO office in protest.

A clash erupted among the 5000 farmers during the distribution of urea fertilizer in the Baripara, Hijalhati and Kaliakoir markets of Kaliakoir Upazila of Gazipur.

In Kahalu Upazila of Bogra, five people including a dealer were arrested and 29 sacks of fertilizer were seized on charges of smuggling urea fertilizer. The police also seized two motorized vehicles carrying the fertilizer.

The army seized 5,140 sacks of adulterated and expired fertilizer from Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria.

This is how BNP-Jamaat exploiters destroyed the country's agricultural system and food production.