Spurious fertiliser: Farmer sued, not trader

Farmer Laizul Islam is now in jail but the trader is absconding.

A Nilphamari court sent him to jail as he appealed for bail on April 2.

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Laizul of Panial Pukur Moulovir Bazar village in Kishoreganj upazila had bought 14 bags of NPKS (Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potash and Sulfate) fertiliser from dealer Rafiqual Islam's shop-- Messers Rupali Traders" at Kishoreganj town on September 8 last year.

Laizul's relatives told this correspondent during a recent visit to the village that after some days when he began to use the fertiliser in his potato fields, he found it adulterated and mixed with red brick particles, cow dung and other spurious substances.

He then informed Rafiqual Islam, who asked him to bring back all the 14 bags to his shop.

As Laizul was bringing back the bags in two rickshaw vans on September 14, Constable Sawkat Ali of Kishoreganj thana seized the bags and took those to custody, along with him.

Laizul told police that he bought the ferttiliser from Rupali Traders.

Meanwhile the trader closed his shop and fled away.

Police lodged a general diary (GD) on the same day and requested the Upazila Agriculture Officer in writing to test the seized fertiliser.

The agriculture officer got it tested at the Soil Development Institute laboratory in Dhaka.

The report sent to the upazila agriculture office on November 1 last year said the fertiliser was adulterated.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Fazlul Haque, after a long delay, filed a case in January this year with Kishoreganj thana.

Investigation officer (IO) Sub-inspector Mujibur Rahman, filed a charge sheet with a First Class Magistrate court in Nilphamari on February 28.

In the report the IO said the fertiliser supplied by the dealer "seemed to him to be good". Farmer Laizul adulterated it to put the dealer in trouble, it said.

When contacted, Kishoreganj thana OC Abdul Mannan said Laizul should have returned the fertiliser immediately but he did so after eight days. "This is suspicious". He said Laizul is also a small fertilier trader, but could not show the farmer's trade license.

Laizul's family said that he (Laizul) bought 14 bags of fertiliser at a time to avoid price rise in peak season.