
SANGSAD BHABAN, March 31, 2026 (BSS) - Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur
Rashid today told the parliament that the government is taking comprehensive
steps to ensure uninterrupted fertilizer supply, expand farmer support
programmes, and strengthen agricultural production across the country.
Responding to a supplementary question from Rumeen Farhana, an independent
candidate from Brahmanbaria-2 constituency, the minister said that the
government currently has sufficient stock of urea fertilizer to meet national
demand until June or mid-July and discussions are underway with Qatar and
Saudi Arabia to secure future supply.
With Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the chair,
he said Bangladesh mainly imports urea fertilizer from these two countries
and negotiations are progressing positively.
A representative (Adviser) has already been sent to Qatar by the Prime
Minister to expedite discussions, Amin Ur Rashid added.
"We hope there will be no major problem in ensuring fertilizer supply," he
told the House.
Regarding the decision to stop private import of non-urea fertilizer from
fiscal year 2026-27 and concerns over supply after the Boro season, the
minister said the government is reviewing the fertilizer import system and
will adopt the most beneficial approach for farmers and the national economy.
He noted that fertilizer import was earlier conducted through government-to-
government (G2G) arrangements, while private sector involvement was
encouraged in the past, which created some complications, and the government
is now reassessing the system.
Responding to another question from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker
Anwarul Islam (Kurigram-1) about agricultural development in char areas of
Kurigram, the minister said the government would examine specific proposals
and provide detailed information in writing after reviewing the matter,
particularly regarding agricultural credit, farm inputs and irrigation
facilities.
He reiterated that the government is working to identify farmers' needs at
field level and take appropriate steps to strengthen agricultural production
and rural economy.
In response to a proposal on direct procurement of agricultural produce from
marginal farmers, especially onion and potato farmers who are not getting
fair prices, the minister said the government has already introduced a new
low-cost onion storage technology that can preserve onions for up to three
months through air circulation with minimal electricity.
Earlier, the minister also highlighted that the government is introducing a
digital agriculture card system at union and block levels, which will
gradually include comprehensive agricultural data such as production and
marketing information to improve service delivery to farmers.
He assured the House that the government remains committed to farmer-friendly
policies, agricultural modernization, and ensuring stable supply of
fertilizer and farm inputs across the country.