Dhaka: The agriculture ministry today dismissed allegations of corruption related to fertilizer imports as "baseless" and labeled recent reports in newspapers and on social media as "conspiratorial propaganda."
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the ministry released a statement asserting that the reports were "imaginary, motivated and untrue," and emphasized that there were no irregularities in the importation of fertilizers. The statement clarified that non-urea fertilizers are imported by private importers alongside the ministry under state-level contracts or government-to-government agreements.
The statement further explained that after the interim government assumed office, it decided to issue purchase orders only to companies offering the lowest prices. This approach has reportedly saved the country a significant amount of foreign currency and prevented abnormal profiteering. The ministry noted the necessity of importing fertilizers from various countries due to geographical distances and varying transportation costs, which affect Cost and Freight (CFR) prices.
The ministry highlighted that, according to a 2015 government circular, prices are verified with assistance from the state-run Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and international price reporting services such as Argus FMB and FERTICON. Government data indicate that in the first phase of the 2025-26 fiscal year, 13 companies were contracted to supply significant amounts of TSP, DAP, and MOP fertilizers.
In the second phase, six additional companies were given orders to supply more TSP and DAP at consistent prices. The ministry pointed out that previous import procedures allowed higher prices due to a sealing limit for lowest bidders, but the current policies have minimized foreign currency wastage and profit discrepancies among importers.
The statement also blamed a "vested quarter" for spreading misinformation after the government's transparent and firm policies thwarted excessive pricing through syndicates. It criticized social media posts alleging irregularities as "unfortunate" and "unacceptable," urging the media to verify facts before publication, given the sensitivity of the country's food security issues.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a corruption-free agriculture sector and expressed its openness to objective criticism.