A mobile court in the Parbazar area of Chowgacha municipal town, Jashore, seized 13,550 kilograms of fertiliser on Wednesday at 11am from a shop owned by Khairul Islam, 45. The court, led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) GMA Munib, ordered that the fertiliser be sold to farmers at government-set fair prices and that the proceeds be deposited in the state treasury.

Khairul could not produce valid documents showing he was an authorised fertiliser seller during the operation. Officials found 271 sacks in his store: 28 sacks of MOP, 147 sacks of TSP, nine sacks of DAP and 87 sacks of urea. The reported retail value of the seized stock was Tk353,350.

The court fined Khairul Tk20,000 after he admitted storing the large quantity without a valid licence; alternatively, he faced one month of simple imprisonment. He paid the fine and gave a written undertaking not to stockpile or trade fertiliser illegally in the future. Agricultural officials, police, traders’ representatives and law enforcement personnel were present during the operation.