IFS Kurigram: 7 MT rice still 'missing', 'fake' bills

A total of 37.7 mt of rice was allocated for the work there, sources in Raniganj told this correspondent earlier.

The misappropriation was detected by a LGED team from Dhaka during its spot visit to Raniganj on July 4.

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Parimol said after detection of the anomaly, the team asked him and Kurigram LGED Executive Engineer Salauddin Ahmed to recover the misappropriated rice.

The sources said that during the spot visit, the team had found that out of 37.7 metric tons, only five metric tons of rice were being distributed. Seeing this, the team stopped the distribution and asked the User Committee Chairman, Sudhir, to produce the rest quantity and then resume distribution.

But within 36 hours, the rest quantity could not be produced.

The team then asked the UNO and the LGED Executive Engineer to recover the rice.

Being pressed by them, the User Committee Chairman brought 25 metric tons in the last fifteen days and distributed it among the beneficiaries of the project.

The rest seven tonnes are yet to be recovered.

When asked, the UNO told this correspondent that action would be taken against the persons responsible for the anomaly in implementing the IFS programme in the upazila.

"Our first duty is to ensure the resources for the beneficiaries. So we put pressure on them to recover the resources. Then we will go for action against the corrupt persons", Parimol said.

Meanwhile, The Daily Star obtained documentary evidence on attempts to draw Tk 94, 640 by producing "false bills" in the name of road reconstruction in Fulbari upazila in the Kurigram under the IFS programme.

The malpractice was mentioned in a letter to the Fulbari Upazila Nirbahi Officer by the Upazila Accounts Officer. A copy of the letter was made available to The Daily Star.

It was stated in the letter that a total of Tk 1,09,640 was drawn against three bills (bill no. 33 dated 14-03-2004 Tk 30,000, bill no. 87 dated 19-05-2004 Tk 20,000 and bill no. 188 dated 10-06-2004 Tk 59,640) for reconstruction of a road from Gangarhat Dakhil Madrassah to Balatari in Kashipur union.

Later, a "false" bill (bill No. 232 dated 10-06-2004), signed by the Upazila Engineer, was produced, claiming Tk 59,640 as the "last installment" of the payment, "which can not be paid in any way", the letter said.

The same letter stated that Tk 1,41,420 was drawn against four bills (bill No. 5 dated 29-02-2004 Tk 40,000; bill No. 136 dated 29-05-2004 Tk 35,000; bill no. 216 dated 10-06-204 Tk 35,000 and bill No. 214 dated 10-06-2004 Tk 31,420) for reconstruction of a road from Kholarhar market to Bhangamor Primary School in Bamoner Khamar village in Bhangamor union.

Later, a "false" bill (No. 254 dated 10-06-2004) was produced claiming Tk 35,000 as the third installment payment, "which can not be paid in any way"

The latter said, "Efforts were made to misappropriate Tk 94,640 through the false bills"

It added, "Special request is being made to take legal action against the persons involved and to check such things".