Agriculture Ministry launches 'Fertiliser Management Control Room' to monitor situation

The Ministry of Agriculture has launched a 'Fertiliser Management Control Room' to keep the country's fertiliser supply, stock and distribution situation under round-the-clock monitoring. The initiative aims to take prompt action if incidents of fertiliser crisis, irregularities, artificial crisis or sales at higher prices occur at the field level.

The information was conveyed in a recent office order signed by Md Maksudul Islam, Deputy Secretary of the Administration-1 branch of the Ministry of Agriculture. According to the order, the control room will operate from Room No. 528 of the ministry until further orders.

A total of 27 teams have been formed to run the control room. Each team will consist of one officer, one administrative officer and one office assistant. Its operations will run in two shifts daily from September 11 to September 24. The first shift will be from 8am to 3pm and the second shift from 3pm to 10pm. Additional Secretary (Fertiliser Management and Materials) will supervise the overall activities.

The control room will collect and preserve information related to fertiliser supply, stock, transport and distribution from various districts and upazilas across the country. If information is found anywhere regarding irregularities in fertiliser transport, illegal stockpiling, black marketeering, artificial crisis or sales at higher than the fixed price, it will be immediately reported to the relevant authorities.

If there is any apprehension of a fertiliser crisis in any area, the control room will identify it on a priority basis and recommend necessary measures. It will collect the latest situation by maintaining regular contact with responsible officials at the field level and inform higher authorities.

Additionally, complaints received from farmers, fertiliser dealers, transporters and others concerned will be accepted and initiatives taken for quick disposal. In emergency situations, directives have been given to take necessary measures in coordination with the district administration, agriculture department, fertiliser dealers and other relevant institutions.

Daily fertiliser situations, complaints, measures taken and important incidents must be preserved in the designated register. Based on this information, the control room will prepare daily and weekly reports and present them to the relevant authorities.