Md. Monir Hossain Patwari, Staff Reporter || Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid has warned that fertiliser dealers will lose their licences if irregularities or corruption are detected in fertiliser management. Officials found involved in such misconduct will also face strict departmental action.He issued the warning at a meeting on fertiliser supply for the upcoming Rabi season at the conference room of the Ministry of Agriculture at the Secretariat on Monday.The meeting was attended online by deputy commissioners (DCs) from all districts and deputy directors of the Department of Agricultural Extension. Agriculture Secretary Md Selim Khan chaired the meeting.Emphasising strict monitoring of fertiliser distribution, the minister said licences of newly appointed dealers would be cancelled if specific allegations of irregularities, corruption or harassment of farmers were substantiated. Departmental action would also be taken promptly against officials found involved in misconduct.He stressed transparency and accountability in fertiliser management, directing authorities to clearly define the service areas of new dealers based on the amount of farmland, the number of farmers and cropping intensity.The minister instructed officials to ensure that every dealer displayed fertiliser prices and stock information prominently at their shops. Mobile courts and regular drives should be conducted to prevent artificial shortages, overcharging, hoarding and cross-border smuggling.He also emphasised the use of farmer cards and official farmer lists to ensure fertiliser reaches genuine farmers at government-fixed prices.Adequate Supply, Tighter Border SurveillanceAminur Rashid said fertiliser supplies this year had exceeded demand compared with previous years. Although there had been no significant expansion in the cultivation of new crops, the government was prepared to meet any increase in demand.He called for heightened surveillance in border districts, warning that differences in non-urea fertiliser prices and demand in neighbouring areas, as well as urea shortages in some places, could encourage smuggling from Bangladesh.“Under no circumstances should fertiliser be allowed to be smuggled out of the country,” he said.The minister noted that the government provides substantial subsidies on fertiliser, stressing that the benefits must reach genuine farmers.He said reports of fertiliser shortages alongside adequate stocks in warehouses or incidents of smuggling could indicate attempts to create artificial shortages. DCs would be held accountable for fertiliser-related irregularities in their respective districts, he added.Action Against Industrial MisuseThe minister also warned against the misuse of urea fertiliser as an industrial raw material. He instructed authorities to take prompt legal action against textile and dyeing factories if evidence emerged that they were using urea fertiliser for industrial purposes.He further directed district-level fertiliser monitoring committees to hold regular meetings to assess the situation and ensure proper oversight of fertiliser distribution.