State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku has stated that the government has taken necessary steps to make fertilizer management activities more disciplined and seamless.

To this end, fertilizer monitoring cells have been formed in all 64 districts of the country.

He noted that various measures have been implemented by the government to further improve and enhance the fertilizer supply and distribution system.

The State Minister made these remarks on Wednesday, September 9, in the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) after Md. Najibur Rahman, a Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Member of Parliament from Pabna-1, initiated a discussion on the fertilizer crisis as an urgent matter of public importance under Rule 68 of the Rules of Procedure.

He informed the house that the country's demand for fertilizer stands at 3.587 million tons, against which current reserves total 5.171 million tons, leaving a surplus of approximately 1.584 million tons.

To keep distribution seamless, monitoring cells across the country are operating under the supervision of two officials—a joint secretary and a deputy secretary—in each district, the State Minister stated.

He added that whenever complaints are received from anywhere in the country, these monitoring cells take immediate and necessary action.

Addressing the appointment of fertilizer dealers, the State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock stated that dealership operations have thus far been run through dealers appointed during the fascist regime. Among those dealers, approximately 3,759 have fled, leaving their positions vacant.

To fill these vacant positions, the government will appoint 4,918 new dealers at the union level, he said, adding that each of these newly appointed dealers will further engage two additional sub-dealers at the union level.

The State Minister expressed optimism that successfully appointing dealers in this manner will improve fertilizer management and ensure fair distribution across the country.

Responding to opposition MPs' allegations regarding a fertilizer crisis, he remarked that Aman paddy is currently ripening, meaning there is no massive demand for fertilizer among farmers at the moment.

However, farmers are trying to purchase and stockpile fertilizer ahead of the upcoming Boro season, which risks creating an artificial surge in demand for non-urea fertilizers.

Criticizing opposition claims that existing mismanagement in fertilizer distribution creates opportunities for corruption, the minister asked, "The government has not yet appointed new dealers because the application deadline for new dealers is September 10. How can allegations of corruption arise then?"

He stated that the ousted fascists are engaged in conspiracies against the government and dislike the current healthy democratic environment.

Urging the opposition not to get involved in any conspiracies or subversive activities against the government, he warned that no conspiracy would benefit them.

Describing the introduction of the "Farmer Card" as a matter of dignity for farmers, he noted that although the opposition previously criticized the initiative in various ways, they are now realizing that the government has made a groundbreaking decision.

Participating in the discussion, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam stated that fertilizer reserves in the country are higher compared to the same period last year.

He reported that as of September 9, the country's reserves stood at 418,000 tons of urea, 343,000 tons of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), 302,000 tons of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP), and 178,900 tons of Muriate of Potash (MOP).

Additionally, shipments in transit include 128,200 tons of TSP, 114,600 tons of DAP, and 189,400 tons of MOP.

He stated that there are currently 1,105 main dealers and 31,600 retail dealers nationwide. Appointing an additional 8,687 new dealers and 16,000 retail dealers will further streamline the distribution network.

Responding to complaints that local MPs have been excluded from fertilizer management committees under the new "Integrated Fertilizer Dealer Appointment and Distribution Policy-2026," the Local Government State Minister explained that ruling party MPs are actually uninterested in joining local fertilizer committees, as the implementation of the new policy will reduce mismanagement at the grassroots level.

State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam remarked, "Our primary objective is to work for the welfare of marginalized populations. We are working intensively under the directives of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman."

MPs M. Mahbubul Alam (Kurigram-3), M. Shafiqul Islam (Patuakhali-2), and Md. Najibur Rahman (Pabna-1) also took part in the discussion.