A mobile court in Bhurungamari, Kurigram, has fined two fertilizer sellers for selling sacks of fertilizer above the government-set price.
The fines were imposed Thursday (Sept. 10) afternoon when a mobile court was conducted in Char Bhurungamari union of the upazila.
Upazila Executive Officer and Executive Magistrate Amrita Debnath conducted the mobile court.
It was found that urea fertilizer sacks were being sold in Char Bhurungamari union at 1,450 taka instead of the government-set price of 1,350 taka. Following this allegation, a mobile court was conducted at the site, and retail fertilizer seller Asadul Alam was fined 5,000 taka.
Asadul Alam claimed he unknowingly took 100 taka extra per sack from two buyers. Once he realized he had overcharged, he said, he refunded the excess amount to the two buyers.
Separately, the BCIC-approved fertilizer dealer Messrs NS Fertilizer in Char Bhurungamari union was fined 10,000 taka.
Nitai Chandra Saha, proprietor of Messrs NS Fertilizer, said fertilizer had been sold at the price set by the upazila administration. “Even after selling at the administration’s set price, we were fined through the mobile court. We’re having to pay a fine even without committing an offense,” he said.
Upazila Executive Officer and Executive Magistrate Amrita Debnath said, “A retail seller was fined 5,000 taka on the allegation of selling fertilizer above the government-set price. The retailer bought fertilizer from the dealer and sold it at a higher price; since the dealer failed to monitor this, the dealer was fined 10,000 taka. A syndicate is engaging in various schemes involving fertilizer to put the government and upazila administration in a difficult position. If any irregularity involving fertilizer is found, legal action will be taken against those responsible.”