Farmers in at least five villages in Kurigram’s Bhurungamari upazila are living in fear of arrest and harassment after a case was filed following a protest demanding fertiliser earlier this month.
The case was lodged after a demonstration in which an upazila agriculture officer was allegedly confined by protesters for a period of time. Eleven people have been named in the case, while another 50 to 60 unidentified people have also been accused. Two farmers have already been arrested and were released on bail after spending eight days in custody.
Local residents say the case has created anxiety in the villages, with some farmers avoiding their homes at night for fear of police action. The situation is also affecting agricultural work, as farmers are struggling to properly tend their Aman paddy and winter vegetable fields.
How the protest began
The incident took place on 7 September in Gonair Kuti village of Bangasonahat union. Hundreds of farmers gathered outside the shop of fertiliser dealer Amjad Hossain to protest over what they described as inadequate supplies.
According to the farmers, demand for fertiliser was particularly high because of the Aman cultivation season. However, they said they were being given only around five to seven kilograms at a time. Some claimed they had visited the dealer’s shop several times without receiving fertiliser. Others alleged favouritism in distribution.
The demonstration eventually escalated. Protesters set fire to bamboo and rubbish and blocked a road. When upazila agriculture officer Abdul Jabbar arrived at the scene, a group of demonstrators allegedly confined him for some time. Police later went to the area and rescued him.
The following day, Jabbar filed a case with Bhurungamari police station.
Farmers staying away from home
Residents say fear has spread across several villages in Bangasonahat union since the case was filed.
During a visit to the area last Friday, several farmers working in fields in Gonair Kuti were initially reluctant to speak. Some reportedly mistook the journalists for plain-clothes police officers.
Shahjahan Ali, a 55-year-old farmer, said they had initially believed the visitors were from the police station. According to him, three farmers had left their work shortly before because they were frightened.
Similar caution was seen at farmers’ homes. Family members reportedly wanted to establish the identity of visitors before calling the men of the household.
Residents said some men continue to work in their fields during the day but spend the night at relatives’ homes. Others are reportedly avoiding visits to fertiliser dealers because they fear being arrested.
Shyuli Begum, 34, from Gonair Kuti Madhyapara, said her husband, Sultan Molla, had not stayed at home since 8 September after being named in the case.
Sultan has cultivated Aman paddy on one and a half bighas of land and aubergines on another bigha. But according to Shyuli, uncertainty surrounding the case has made it difficult for him to work on the fields.
She said the family could not arrange anticipatory bail because they did not have enough money to cover legal expenses.
Farmer Kalim Uddin, 62, said his younger brother Abdus Salam had also been named in the case and was now staying away from home. Kalim said he worked in the fields during the day but spent the nights at relatives’ houses because of concerns about police action.
Arrests add to farmers’ worries
The two farmers arrested in connection with the case have also described the difficulties they faced during their eight days in custody.
Al Amin Molla, 47, was released on bail after spending eight days in jail. He said the experience had caused him considerable distress and that he had struggled to return to normal work after his release.
His wife, Rowshan Ara Begum, said the family had spent around Tk 20,000 to secure his release.
Another farmer, 45-year-old Suruj Mia, also spent eight days in jail before being granted bail.
The arrests have added to concerns among families who depend largely on farming for their livelihoods. With Aman cultivation underway and preparations for winter vegetables beginning, farmers say prolonged uncertainty could make it harder for them to maintain their crops.
Local representatives call for withdrawal of case
Jahurul Islam, a member of Bangasonahat Union Parishad, said the case had created fear in several villages. He called for its withdrawal, arguing that disputes over inadequate fertiliser supplies had occurred in previous years as well.
Former Bangasonahat Union Parishad chairman Shahjahan Ali Molla also called for the case to be withdrawn. He said farmers in different parts of the country had staged protests and blocked roads over fertiliser supplies, while there had also been incidents involving agriculture officials being confined.
He argued that the case had placed an additional burden on farmers who were already economically vulnerable.
Authorities deny widespread police operation
Agriculture officer Abdul Jabbar said he had been assaulted during the protest and that the matter was now in the hands of the police.
Bhurungamari police station officer-in-charge Azim Uddin denied that police were conducting a large-scale operation against farmers. He said no innocent person would be arrested and that investigators were using video footage from the incident to identify those involved.
Bhurungamari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Amrita Debnath said she had not received information that farmers had left their homes because of the case.
Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Annapurna Debnath said senior authorities were monitoring the situation and that the district administration was taking steps accordingly. She also said people who were not involved in the incident had no reason to be afraid.
The dispute now centres on two parallel concerns: the authorities’ investigation into the events surrounding the protest and the farmers’ fear that the case could disrupt their livelihoods. With the agricultural season continuing, residents are seeking clarity over the investigation while trying to keep their crops from suffering further disruption.
