Trader held for black marketing VGF rice

Police on Friday arrested a rice trader on charge of black marketing government allocated rice meant for vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr in Santhia upazila under the district.

A mobile court led by Santhia Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Shafikul Islam raided the warehouse of trader Md Selim Uddin at Punduria Bazar of the upazila and seized 14 bags of special VGF rice there, said Shahed Mahamud, officer in charge of Santhia Police Station.

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Police arrested Selim Uddin from the spot and Md Mahidul Faruk, project implementation officer (PIO) in the upazila, filed a case with Santhia Police Station accusing Karamza union parishad (UP) chairman Md Shamsur Rahman, local UP member Md Moznu Mia, rice trader Selim Uddin, Kader Ali and Motleb Hossain on Friday, he said.

The accused embezzled the government allocated relief rice in collusion with each other, the complainant stated in the case.

Twenty four tonnes of VGF rice was allotted for the ultra-poor people in Karamza union of Santhia upazila ahead of Eid-ul-Fitre, said PIO Md Mahidul Faruk.

"UP chairman Shamsur Rahman released the rice received from the government depot on June 30. But most of the rice was sold in the black market instead of supplying for the poor people," he said.

Aggrieved locals brought out a procession in Karamza union demanding punishment of the people involved in embezzling relief rice.