The members of the parliamentary standing committee on the agriculture ministry asked the ministry to immediately import fertilisers and the finance ministry to channel more fund to face the crises and offset the huge agricultural losses.

Committee member Shah Shahid Sarwar, a BNP legislator, told the meeting that in his Mymensingh constituency some dealers did not take delivery of their quotas of fertilisers in an apparent bid to crate an artificial crisis and raise prices.

Committee Chairman Abdul Mannan asked the deputy to submit a written complaint for opening an investigation.

Agriculture Minister MK Anwar also sought a copy of the complaint to take up the allegation with the industries ministry that runs six urea fertiliser factories under Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC).

Jatiya Party lawmaker GM Kader said a 50 kg bag of urea was selling at Tk 350, much higher than Tk 270 market rate and the triple super phosphate (TSP) price was also hiked to Tk 850 a bag from Tk 650.

Anwar assured the meeting of 'all necessary measures' to ensure availability of fertilisers at reasonable prices.

The committee members also pointed out non-availability of seeds for fresh planting after floodwaters carried away most crops from aus fields, aman seedbeds and summer vegetables.

BNP lawmaker Akbar Ali told The Daily Star that farmers were failing to buy seeds and seedlings because of high prices in Sirajganj. He said he heard of a fertiliser crisis in northern Rangpur, Dinajpur and Bogra regions.

Akbar feared the current wave of hartal and political strife could hinder the normal transportation of agricultural inputs, adding to the farmers' woes.

Opposition Chief Whip Abdus Shahid told The Daily Star that acute crisis of seeds erased farmers' hopes in his home district Moulvibazar.

Weeks of monsoon flooding this year brought 48,84,000 farming families to their knees and caused a financial loss of Tk 2,291 crore, damaging crops and seeds on 8,51, 114 hectares, the meeting was told.

Of the affected families, 26,65,000 are of small and marginal farmers.

The agriculture ministry has taken a Tk 158 crore agricultural rehabilitation programme, but has so far got a fund of Tk 68.77 crore released.