The factory authorities detected a leakage in reactor at its urea plant at around 1:00pm and immediately halted production, factory sources said.

Engineers at the factory started repair work yesterday and declared suspension of production for the next five days. They will also replace bucket belt and blower at the production unit of the plant.

A team of 27 experts, including engineers from China, will arrive in a day or two to mend the fault, an official told The Daily Star over phone on Thursday.

Technical glitches thrice earlier last year on February 3, October 18, and December 22 kept the factory idle for several days. A team of foreign experts with the help of local engineers repaired the faults.

The country's biggest urea factory at Tarakandi under Sarishabari upazila of Jamalpur district has production capacity of 1, 700 tonnes a day. Factory workers yesterday alleged irregularities and corruption are the main reasons behind malfunction at the plant.

Urea supply from the factory was disrupted seven times in last one year due to 14- party blockade, technical glitches and porters' strike.

Jamuna Fertiliser Factory (JFF) supplies urea to 1, 823 government-approved dealers of 16 northern districts and four in greater Mymensingh.