UNO office besieged for cheap rated rice

Several hundred people of six unions under Khansama upazila of the district besieged the office of the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) for an hour yesterday, demanding rice at Tk 10 per kg.

The prime minister inaugurated a food-friendly programme for the ultra-poor in September. Under the programme, five million poor families will get rice at Tk 10 a kg.

The villagers alleged that the solvent people are getting the cheap rice instead of the poor in the upazila.  "Rice at Tk 10 per kg is for the poor people, but the solvent people are getting it instead," said Md Rafique.

Villagers alleged that members of the six unions collected their names and assured them that they would get rice at Tk 10 per kg, but they never got it. Landlords and traders in the upazila are getting the cheap rated rice, alleged the villagers.

Rahima Begum, a widow, alleged that she had contacted the UP member several times to get the rice, but he told her to go to the chairman as he (member) couldn't do anything. When she contacted the chairman, he told her to go to the member of her ward, she added.

The people who live hand-to-mouth are not getting the cheap rated rice, alleged Anwara, a 70-year-old woman.

The villagers withdrew the siege as Md Sazebur Rahman, the UNO of Khansama, assured them that he would look into the allegations.