556 tonnes of food grains missing from govt warehouse in Kurigram

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found 556 tonnes of food grains missing from a government warehouse in Kurigram’s Sadar upazila.

The missing stock includes 521 metric tonnes of paddy and 35 metric tonnes of rice, said Sabdarur Islam, assistant director of the ACC’s Kurigram district office.

The finding was made during a day-long drive conducted today at the food warehouse located in the New Railway Station area.

Following the detection of the large-scale shortage, the ACC immediately sealed the warehouse, Sabdarur said.

The officer-in-charge of the facility failed to provide any satisfactory explanation for the missing rice and paddy, he said.

During the operation, the ACC team also found a quantity of rice that was unfit for human consumption.

“We are investigating how much more food grain in the warehouse is unfit for consumption,” the ACC official said.

He further added that preparations are underway to initiate legal action against the accused warehouse official in accordance with the law.

Kurigram District Food Controller Kazi Mohammad Hamidul Haque told The Daily Star on Sunday, “A departmental inquiry will be launched against the accused officer, Sharif Ahmed, and necessary departmental action will be taken.”

He also confirmed that the matter has already been reported to the higher authorities.