Potentiality of the scientists of Rajshahi Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI) may be doubted, however, they made much effort to legalise adulterated fertiliser though their endeavour was foiled by the intervention of Dinajpur deputy commissioner.
About 3, 495 metric tonnes of fertiliser was smuggled into Bangladesh through Dinajpur border. When seized by the authorities, this adulterated fertiliser was kept in warehouse to prevent spreading. Later a fertiliser-trader collected samples of this spurious fertiliser and sent it to SRDI for testing. The chief scientific officer Abu Toyab Khandakar and his associate Ayubur Rahman at first declared the sample fertiliser adulterated but 15 days later they issued certificate saying that the aforesaid fertiliser was pure.
On April 5 a report headlined "adulterated fertiliser becomes pure after 15 days" was published in Prothom Alo. Following the publication of the report Dinajpur deputy commissioner sent sample from the fertiliser to Dhaka for testing which ultimately proved them counterfeit.
It is not illogical to assume that the two scientific officers certified the fertiliser fit for use after being influenced by their back-door deal with the dishonest trader.
Indeed it is a matter of regret that government officials assigned to an important duty get involved with such crimes. It seems that officials working at SRDI consider the institution as their hereditary property otherwise the chief scientific officer of the institution could not have been posted at the same place for 23 years.
What punishment should be given to those who wanted to harm the farmers and agriculture by certifying adulterated fertilser pure? The duo of SRDI was reported to be transferred to another place. But transferring from one place to another is not a punishment. They should be put into stricter punishment if found guilty by a neutral and fare investigation. Otherwise chances are there that they will repeat such crimes at their new workplace.
What we expect from scientific officers is realistic and objective scientific experiments instead of anything like making adulterated fertiliser pure.