Fertiliser Dealers Association initiated a strike and a protest 'Dharna' here on Friday against alleged harassment by the local authorities and unfair registration of police cases against the dealers. A meeting of office bearers and members, chaired by chief patron Chaudhry Shabbir Ahmed and President Chaudhry Munir Ahmed, decided that the strike and suspension of sales would continue till their demands were met by the authorities.
They asserted that all fertiliser dealers were unnecessarily being hounded by the local officials, and unjustified and random arrests were being made, creating problems and insecurity among the traders, affecting their business. The fertiliser dealers further said that they were more than willing to sell agri inputs at the government-fixed rates, but this harassment should be stopped and they be given due protection by the authorities.