490 kg VGF rice sold on black market seized
7 sued in Rajshahi, one held
Rapid Action Battalion arrests one Md Year Uddin from Chalkgochar village in Charghat upazila in Rajshahi district yesterday on charge of embezzling 490 kg of rice meant for distribution under the government's Vulnerable Group Feeding programme.Photo: STAR
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Friday night seized 490 kilograms of stolen rice meant for vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme and arrested one person in this connection. Five members and the secretary of Solua union parishad (UP) in Charghat illegally sold out the rice to a rice trader, the elite force said. Rab-5 camp commander Maj SM Anwar Ali said the group stole the VGF rice by distributing lower quantity of rice among the VGF card holders. The card holders are supposed to get 10 kg rice per head. He said the theft came to light Friday night after the Rab members arrested rice trader M Yaruddin, 50, from his home at Chalkgochor village and seized 490kg VGF rice, kept in 10 sacks, from his possession. Rab-5 sued seven people with Charghat police station on charge of misappropriating the VGF rice and selling those on black markets, said Abdur Razzak, OC of Charghat PS. Besides Yaruddin, the other accused in the case are UP members Rokeya Begum, Shahnaj Begum, Lokman Hossain, Moklesur Rahman, Mohammad Aslam and UP secretary Abdul Jalil. Rab officials said they raided the houses of the accused but all of them went into hiding sensing their presence. The UP chairman was absent at the time of the irregularity, Rab said. Our Correspondent in Patuakhali adds: At long last the poor people of Galachipa municipality got Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGD) rice yesterday. Municipal authorities distributed 30 MT rice on the day in presence of Amol Krisna Mondol, acting deputy commissioner (DC) of Patuakhali while a good number of Rab men were also present. Amol Krisna Mondol went to Galachipa town at about 8 in the morning and asked the Mayor and all councillors to resume distribution of rice among the listed poor men. Sources said, the distribution of VGD rice stopped recently following a disagreement between the Mayor and some councillors loyal to local lawmaker Golam Mowla Roni over a fresh list of cardholders. "We were able to resolve the problem though discussion with both groups", the acting DC said.
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