The Ministry of Agriculture has set up a “Fertilizer Management Control Room” to monitor fertilizer supply, stockpiling, transportation, distribution and retail sales round the clock and to resolve field-level problems quickly.

The information was disclosed in an office order recently signed by Md Maksudul Islam, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry’s Administration-1 Branch.

According to the order, the control room will operate from Room No. 528 of the ministry until further notice. A total of 27 teams will be assigned to the control room, with each team comprising an officer, an administrative officer and an office assistant.

The control room will operate in two shifts from September 11 to 24—from 8:00am to 3:00pm and from 3:00pm to 10:00pm. An additional secretary in charge of fertilizer management and materials will oversee the overall activities.

The main responsibility of the control room will be to regularly collect information from districts and upazilas on fertilizer supply, stockpiling, transportation and distribution. If reports of irregularities in transportation, artificial shortages, illegal stockpiling, black-market sales or overcharging are received, the relevant authorities will be informed immediately.

Any potential shortage will be identified on a priority basis, followed by necessary recommendations. The teams will maintain regular communication with field-level officials, collect updates on the latest situation and report them to the higher authorities.

The control room has also been instructed to receive complaints from farmers, fertilizer dealers, transporters and other stakeholders and take prompt action. In emergency situations, it will coordinate with district administrations, agricultural officials and fertilizer dealers to take necessary measures.

The ministry has instructed officials to record the daily fertilizer situation, complaints received and actions taken in a register and prepare daily and weekly reports.

They have also been directed to verify fertilizer-related information and complaints received through social media, the mass media, telephone, mobile phones, email and WhatsApp and take appropriate action at the field level.