Fertiliser under open sky

Around 10,400 tonnes of urea fertiliser have been kept under the open sky at Mohendranagar in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila due to space shortage in buffer godown.

Officials of the warehouse apprehend that the fertiliser, piled up at an open space in front of the godown, would be damaged if there is sudden rain or storm.

About 51 dealers of the district under Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), who withdraw their allotment of urea from the godown, are in fear as some of the fertiliser bags are already damaged.

In the last one week, several dealers have returned about 800 sacks of urea to the in-charge of the godown saying that those were either damaged or lost effectiveness.

Buffer godown officials said the fertiliser bags have now been kept on the open space as the godown is already filled up.

The buffer godown at Mahendranagar has capacity to preserve 9,000 tonnes of fertiliser but about 19,500 tonnes of fertiliser are kept there, the officials claimed.

A segment of damaged sacks of fertilizer. Photo: STAR

Finding no other way, the godown authorities have piled up the urea fertiliser under the open sky in front of the warehouse.

Enamul Haque, Sadar upazila agriculture officer (UAO), said urea fertiliser loses effectiveness whenever it comes in contact with water or fog.

"Damaged fertiliser will never bring expected output from our croplands," said Hirendranath Barman, 65, a farmer of Bhadai village in Aditmari upazila.

Abdul Hakim, president of district fertiliser dealers' association, said they have been urging the authorities concerned to build another buffer godown to meet the space shortage but to no effect.

Abdul Hanif, in-charge of the buffer godown, said, "We always try to protect the fertiliser from rain and cold weather but sometimes damage is caused due to the heavy pressure of fertiliser stacks."