'Stealing' VGF rice: UP chairman sued in Bogra

A union parishad chairman in Bogra has been sued for embezzling rice meant to be given to the poor under Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) project.

Sawar Alam, the local project implementation officer, filed the case against Hedayedul Islam, Kamalpur union parishad chairman, with Sariakandi Police Station on Wednesday night.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Hedayedul is also the president of Kamalpur Union Jubo League, said Abu Bakar Siddik, president of the Awami League unit in the union.

According to the case statement, 14.44 tonnes of VGF rice from the relief branch of Sariakandi Upazila Nirbahi Officer was allocated to the accused. He was supposed to hand over the rice to 1,444 listed beneficiaries.

Hedayedul received the rice on June 11. Four days later, he asked all the beneficiaries to gather at a temporary office of Kamalpur Union Parishad in Howrahkhali to collect the rice.

On the scheduled day, the accused distributed rice to only 540 people and provided some others with Tk 200 each. The rest of the listed beneficiaries had to return empty-handed, according to the case statement. 

Sharmin Bewa, 55, one of the beneficiaries from Bibirpara village, said, “When we reached the office, the chairman told us that there was no rice left for us and gave each of us Tk 200.”

Kamla Begum, another local, echoed Sharmin's statement.

Sabila Begum, 48, a resident of Sutanara village, said she did not get anything, not even the money. “The chairman sold all the rice and I returned empty-handed.”

Sariakandi Upazila Cooperative Officer Salauddin Siddik said the chairman had provided rice to 540 people and had sold some of the rice in the market, adding that he informed the acting UNO about the matter.

Contacted, the acting UNO, Moniruzzaman, said a case was filed against the accused.

Despite repeated attempts, this correspondent could not reach Hedayedul over his phone for comments.

Sariakandi Police Station OC Sirajul Islam said, “A case was filed against Hedayedul on Wednesday night under the anti-corruption act. We are trying to arrest him.”