Anomalies in distribution

Nekjan Begum, wife of late Azizul Islam of Kasharigasa village under Natore Sadar upazila died on January 1, 2012, but her old-age allowance is still being withdrawn regularly.

Shahanara Begum, daughter-in-law of Nekjan Begum, said, "As the nominee of my mother-in-law, I got only Tk 900 after her death in 2012. After that, Piyara Begum, former female member of Tebaria Union Parishad (UP), took the card from me."

Aleya Begum, wife of Kafir Uddin of Bangabaria village, said, "Piyara member asked me to go to Sonali Bank to take an old age allowance card from her, but she has not given me the card in the last four years. She just used me to withdraw the money using Nekjan's old age allowance card after her death.

Piyara gives her Tk 100 per check and the rest of the money is divided between Piyara Begum and Aklima Khatun, technical trainer of the social welfare department, Aleya alleged.

Piyara said she has given an old age allowance card to Aleya.

Aklima Khatun, also social activist (in-charge) of Tebaria UP, said she does not know how and who has been withdrawing the money for years.

Rahman Munshi, son of Sujauddin of Baliadanga village, got an old age allowance card, though he is not 65 years old, by giving bribe to the UP member and the officials. Alal Sheikh, son of Haidar Ali, Moyna Begum, wife of late Amir Khan of Baliadanga, Ahad Ali, son of Fayez Uddin of Chandrakola, and Babar Ali of Ruyerbhag got old age allowance cards in the same way.

Rahman Munshi, Imam of Baliadanga Jame-Masjid said, " I am not 65 years old, but I gave local Jubo League (JL) leader Bacher Ali Tk 1,500 and got the card."

Bacher Ali, president of Ward No 2 unit of Tebaria UP JL, said he took Tk 3,000 form Rahman Munshi amd Moyna Begum as they are not eligible for getting old age cards.

Shahabuddin Mandol, son of Chhamed Ali of Bangabaria alleged that a member of the village police of Tebaria UP took Tk 1,500 as bribe for his old age card. Sajeda Begum, wife of late Ekabbar Ali, and Bilkis Begum, daughter of Sakhwat Hossain, also said the same thing.

Omar Ali Prodhan, chairman of Tebaria UP, said he had received some verbal complaints about corruption.

Mohammad Nairuzzaman, nirbahi officer of Natore Sadar upazila, said, "We have started building a database of the recipients of old age allowance in Harishpur Union Parishad of the upazila. If we can apply this database system in every union, corruption will be uprooted," adding that a probe body led by Upazila Social Welfare Officer Afazuddin was formed on November 7 to look into the complaints about corruption.

Deputy Commissioner of Natore Shahina Khatun said the administration is going to digitalise the whole system, which will help stop corruption.