Bangladesh Farmers Loot Warehouse Amid Nationwide Fertilizer Crisis
Farmers in Kurigram looted hundreds of sacks of fertilizer from a local dealer's warehouse as acute supply shortages and soaring prices hit the country. Meanwhile, the government approved a massive purchase of 3.65 lakh metric tons of fertilizer to address the ongoing crisis.
A severe fertilizer crisis has gripped Bangladesh, culminating in an incident of unrest on 23 August 2026, when desperate farmers looted a fertilizer dealer's warehouse located in Bhurungamari, Kurigram. During the chaotic episode, individuals forcefully removed 202 sacks of urea and 23 sacks of potash fertilizer from the premises. This localized looting highlights the mounting frustrations within the agricultural community as they struggle to secure essential supplies for their crops amidst widespread distribution failures across multiple regions, including Joypurhat, Naogaon, Dinajpur, and Sherpur.
The unrest in Kurigram unfolds against the backdrop of an escalating nationwide scarcity and pricing volatility that has heavily impacted agricultural workers. Across the country, farmers have been forced to pay inflated prices, encountering extra costs ranging from 4 to 10 taka per kilogram. When purchasing standard 50-kilogram bags, buyers are being gouged with excesses between 200 and 500 taka. While the official government-mandated price for these vital agricultural inputs stands at 1,350 taka, dealers and intermediaries have been aggressively demanding up to 1,550 taka, putting an unsustainable financial burden on cultivators trying to sustain their livelihoods.
Addressing the growing chaos and public outcry, Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid strongly condemned the unlawful seizure of agricultural goods, remarking that chaos over fertilizer in the fields constitutes a planned conspiracy. Ur Rashid further appealed to the public and farmers directly during the unrest by urging them to refrain from such actions, stating that such behavior is unacceptable and must not be continued. Stakeholders across various regional bodies, including the Kurigram Fertilizer Association and the Mymensingh District Fertilizer Association, have faced mounting pressure as the scarcity deepens and farmers grow increasingly desperate.
In a swift policy response to the escalating crisis, the government moved to stabilize the national supply chain during a high-level administrative meeting on 24 August 2026. The cabinet committee on government purchase, presided over by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, officially approved the procurement of a massive quantity of fertilizer. The newly sanctioned import and purchase plan covers a total of 3.65 lakh metric tons of assorted fertilizers, requiring a substantial national expenditure amounting to 2,695 crore taka.
The newly approved multi-sectoral procurement package authorized by the cabinet committee encompasses several specific types of fertilizers vital for agricultural productivity across Bangladesh. The finalized purchasing allocation includes 70,000 tons of urea, 1,15,000 tons of MOP, 1,20,000 tons of DAP, and an additional 60,000 tons of TSP. Through these comprehensive logistical interventions coordinated alongside the Ministry of Agriculture, the BCIC, and the BADC, authorities hope to restore order to the market, replenish depleted regional warehouses, and curb the exploitative pricing practices currently plaguing the nation's agricultural sector.
