Tk 10/KG Rice Scheme: Some AL men giving it a bad name

Some ruling party men are tainting the government scheme to provide cheap rice for the 50 lakh ultra poor across the country.

A number of ruling party activists are selling the rice, meant to be sold to the poor for Tk 10 per kg, to their well-off relatives or in the black market. Some party men are stockpiling the rice too.

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On September 7, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated “Food-Friendly Programme” in Chilmari upazila of Kurigram.

Under the programme, selected poor who have special cards would get 30kg rice a month from ration dealers during September-November and March-April. The months had been chosen as work is difficult to find during this period. The ultra-poor families were supposed to be listed by the local public representatives.

In Lalmonirhat for instance, all 122 dealers of 45 unions in five upazilas were identified as ruling party leaders and activists.

Khalilur Rahman, one of those dealers of Dahagram in Patgram upazila, said he has been actively involved in AL politics in the union and that was the reason for his getting the dealership.

“I have practical knowledge of the business … so there is no way for making any mistake in controlling the dealership,” he claimed.

Dealer Rashedul Islam Biplob of Bhelaguri union in Hatibandha upazila said he was dedicated to AL politics in his union and that was why he got the dealership. “I have no previous knowledge of the business, but I know how to manage a dealership,” he claimed.

Abu Bakkar Siddique, another dealer and the joint secretary of the AL Kamlabari union unit of Aditmari upazila, said some well-off people were on the list for getting the low-priced rice. He claimed he had been facing difficulties due to this.

“I didn't put any beneficiaries' name on the list but other AL men in the village did,” he said, adding that food department officials were removing the names of well-off people from the list.

District Food Controller Golam Mawla claimed that lawmakers recommended the names of the dealers. Food officials could not check the dealers' profiles as they were from the MPs, he said.

Nuruzzaman Ahmed, state minister for social welfare and the AL MP of Lalmonirhat-2 (Aditmari- Kaligoni) constituency, said the administration has been ordered to take stern action against those involved in irregularities.

In Gaibandha, the food controller filed a case with Gaibandha Judicial Magistrate's court against six people, including secretary Azhar Ali of AL Fazlurpur union unit.

According to the case statement, Azhar took 183 bags of rice from the district warehouse. The rice was meant for sale to the ultra poor. The case said Azhar moved the sacks of rice to the homes of one Mokarram Mirza and Alam Mia to misappropriate them.

Police could not arrest any one yet.

In Thakurgaon, AL president of Mohammadpur union unit Mostafizur Rahman took cards for his son, two brothers, two cousins, and a nephew allegedly with the help of local ruling party chairman Md Sohag.

General Secretary of the AL unit Abdul Quader also got cards for his wife and three brothers.

The Thakurgaon Sadar upazila administration has asked solvent and well-off people via megaphones to submit their cards to local union parishad chairmen by Tuesday, otherwise stern actions would be taken.

SCRAPPED DEALERSHIPS

A total of 44 dealerships were cancelled and the dealers were punished for anomalies.

The Daily Star checked the dealers' political background and found many of them were ruling party activists.

Of them, Abul Bashar, 46, is the joint secretary of Khottapara union unit AL in Bogra's Shahjahanpur upazila. He was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment for selling rice in the black market.

Hafizar Rahman, 48, is the president of AL Amrul union ward-6 unit in Shahjahanpur of the district. He was jailed for three days.

Rubel Sardar, 34, is a member of Shahjahanpur upazila unit of Swechchhasebak League, the AL's volunteers' body. He was fined Tk 10,000.

The dealership of Al Helal, a member of AL Bijora union unit in Birol of Dinajpur, was scrapped.

Dealership of Abdus Salam, joint secretary of AL Faizana union unit, was also scrapped for allegedly selling rice in the black market.

The government's rice procurement price is now Tk 32 per kg and it is selling for Tk 10 a kg to the poor. For every kg sold under the scheme, the government gets Tk 8.50 and the dealers get Tk 1.50 profit.

The government is thus giving Tk 23.50 subsidy for each kg of rice.