Farmers in the Jamuna River basin of Sariakandi, Bogura, are facing a severe crisis due to an acute shortage of diesel, threatening the ongoing Boro and maize seasons.
Local filling stations and designated oil agents, including Mushfiqur Filling Station, Lopa Enterprise, and Subodh Sandhya Banijayalaya, have reportedly run out of stock. While petrol and octane remain available, the absence of diesel has halted irrigation pumps across the vast char (river island) areas.
Desperate farmers claim that while pumps are dry, some retail shops are selling diesel in the open market for as much as 150 TK per kg.
In Pakuria Char, farmer Shafiqul shared his struggle: "I have three bighas of Boro cultivation that need immediate watering. I’ve spent hours searching, but there is no diesel. Without timely irrigation, my yield will collapse."
Sona Mia, another farmer from Mulbari Char who cultivated 35 bighas of maize and 10 bighas of Boro, noted that the high cost of black-market oil is making farming unsustainable. "The cost of production is skyrocketing. We cannot continue like this," he said.
Sunil Kumar Pramanik, a local oil agent, stated that despite depositing money for 9,000 liters a month ago, his request was recently denied, with suppliers prioritizing large filling stations. He is currently rationing his remaining stock, providing only 1–2 liters to those in extreme need.
Sariakandi Upazila Agriculture Officer Mohammad Ali Jinnah confirmed that the ministry has been notified of the shortage. In the meantime, the department is advising farmers on water-saving irrigation techniques.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sumaiya Ferdous stated that local authorities are monitoring the situation closely. "We are conducting mobile courts to prevent illegal hoarding and overpricing in the open market. Strict legal action will be taken against anyone exploiting this crisis," she warned.
