Dhaka, March 29 -- A severe diesel shortage across six Upazilas in Shariatpur has paralysed the district's rural economy, leaving thousands of farmers and fishermen in a state of desperation as irrigation pumps fall silent and fishing boats remain docked.

The crisis hit during the peak of the IRRI-Boro season, threatening production targets across 25,000 hectares of paddy fields.

Operations of 12,000 engine-powered fishing boats, on the other hand, that patrol the Padma and Meghna rivers have been affected due to the shortage of fuel.

The scarcity reached a boiling point on Saturday when frustrated farmers besieged the Hazi Abdul Jalil Filling Station in Shariatpur town.

Local administration officials had to intervene to calm the situ...