Adulterated Fertiliser and Pesticides Made from Brick Dust: Factory Raided

A mobile court has seized a large quantity of adulterated pesticides, fish feed, and fertiliser from an illegal production centre in the Satkhira BSCIC Industrial Estate. The factory was fined 20,000 taka for producing counterfeit goods without the necessary licences.

The raid was conducted on Wednesday, 10 September, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., under the supervision of Executive Magistrate Md Tajul Islam, with support from the Upazila Department of Agricultural Extension, the Fisheries Department, and the District Detective Police.

Upon sensing the presence of the mobile court, the factory owner Saiful Islam fled the scene. Inside the facility, officials discovered a huge cache of counterfeit products, including:

• Plant Growth Regulator Hormones (PGR)
• Fake fish feed
• Ofson, Plan Cotton, Fish Gel, Geo Ester, Sulphur
• Sand used to increase product weight
• Brick dust mixed with Triple Super Phosphate (TSP)
• Other falsified chemicals and agricultural products

Key Findings from the Raid

Legal and Administrative Action

• The factory manager, Kamal Hossain, failed to produce valid documentation.
• Based on his admission, the owner was fined 20,000 taka under the Fertiliser Management Act, 2006.
• The confiscated items have been stored under the custody of Gourab Das, Deputy Manager of BSCIC Industrial Estate.
• According to Nizamuddin Molya, Acting Officer-in-Charge of Satkhira District Detective Police, Rakibul Islam had been illegally producing fertiliser, animal feed, and fish feed for years after obtaining a plot in the BSCIC estate without proper approval.

Official Reactions

• Monir Hossain, Satkhira Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer, warned that products made with artificial and adulterated elements are extremely harmful to humans, animals, and fish. He stressed that producing such items without official authorisation increases risks significantly. He confirmed that the seized materials will be destroyed in due course.
• Executive Magistrate Md Tajul Islam, presiding judge of the mobile court, confirmed that the fine of 20,000 taka was imposed under the 2006 Fertiliser Management Act.

This raid highlights the ongoing challenges of curbing the illegal production of hazardous agricultural and fisheries products in Bangladesh.