'Unfair' distribution of VGD wheat protested
Beneficiaries of vulnerable group development programme in Sadar union of Kishoreganj upazila under Nilphamari district demonstrate in front of the upazila nirbahi officer's office yesterday demanding legal action against the union parishad chairman for his alleged irregularities in distribution of wheat meant for the programme. Photo: STAR
Women beneficiaries under vulnerable group development (VGD) programme in Sadar union of Kishoreganj upazila under the district have demanded legal action against the union parishad (UP) chairman for his alleged irregularities in distributing wheat of World Food Programme (WFP) under the programme. To press their demand, the VGD beneficiaries staged a demonstration in front of the upazila nirbahi officer's (UNO) office yesterday. On behalf of the aggrieved people, Lovely Begum, 55, (holding VGD card No 106) and Ambia Begum, 45, (VGD card No 100) alleged that at the direction of the UP chairman, most of the beneficiaries were given around 21 kg of wheat each instead of stipulated 30 kg on Tuesday when all 435 VGD beneficiaries of the union were supposed to get food grain at the UP office premises. The receivers protested the irregularities on the spot but they were silenced by the chairman's men, they said, adding that they went to the UNO office the same day to submit a written petition to stop the chairman's irregularities and realise the misappropriated wheat. The UNO heard their complaint but his office did not receive the written complaint, they said. All the UP members of the same union also lodged a written complaint to the UNO on Tuesday noon, alleging that UP Chairman Asadur Rahman Babul started distributing wheat that day without calling any meeting of the union VGD committee or passing any resolution. They also alleged that the chairman violated rules and kept the UP members in the dark regarding the matter to misappropriate the VGD wheat. Following the complaints, the UNO went to the spot the same day and ordered stopping wheat distribution among the rest of the beneficiaries as he found 'mysterious' presence of some wheat traders at the UP office premises. The beneficiaries and the UP members complained to the UNO that being aware of their complaint and the official's possible visit to the spot, the UP chairman hurriedly removed the misappropriated wheat from the godown with the help of some wheat traders and musclemen in broad daylight. Contacted, UP chairman Asadur Rahman Babul claimed that VGD wheat distribution was fair. “The UNO visited the spot and compared the amount of remaining wheat with the number of rest of the beneficiaries. He found the amount to be proportionate and there was no excess wheat,†he said. In presence of the UNO's representative, remaining 82 bags (50 kg each bag) of wheat was distributed among the rest 138 beneficiaries at the UP office premises yesterday. Asked about the VGD beneficiaries' demand for investigation into the allegation and legal action against the chairman, the UNO said, "I will see the matter."
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