Potato growers and traders blocked the Rangpur-Lalmonirhat-Kurigram highway in the Nabdiganj area of Rangpur city on Thursday, demanding that cold-storage charges be fixed at Tk5 per kilogram. Hundreds of participants gathered before placing wooden logs on the road, halting traffic in both directions and causing long congestion.

Protesters said an agriculture department report put the cost of storing potatoes in cold storage at Tk3 to Tk4 per kilogram, while cold-storage owners were unwilling to charge below Tk7. They said the higher fee would deepen losses after spending heavily on potato production, transport and storage, particularly if market prices fall below production costs.

Farmer leaders including Altaf Hossain and Sarwar Ali spoke during the blockade. The protesters warned that if their demand is not accepted by Saturday, they will go to all cold storages in Rangpur on Sunday, pay Tk5 per kilogram and remove their own potatoes. They also warned of responsibility for any deterioration in law and order. The blockade was withdrawn after about two hours, and traffic resumed.