Magistrate to check OMS rice pilferage at Rajshahi
Daily rice allocation to dealers reduced by a tonne from today
District administration assigned a magistrate on Sunday to investigate the allegation that Open Market Sale (OMS) rice was being sold on the black market by its dealers and food officials in Rajshahi.
Magistrate M Razzakul Islam was also asked to verify the The Daily Star's investigative report published on Sunday, said Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Delwar Bakhth.
The Daily Star report said dealers and food officials were selling OMS rice on the black market to profit by Tk 5.50 a kg instead of the fixed Tk 1.5 given by the government.
When contacted, the magistrate said to have visited and inspected several food offices and OMS centres by yesterday.
Though he refused to reveal his findings, he made the observation that the dealers along with concerned food officials and law enforcers were beforehand alerted about his visit to the OMS centre.
Following the The Daily Star report, Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Abdul Mannan called a meeting at his office on Sunday.
At the meeting, he warned the dealers and food officials that punitive action will be taken against those involved in anomalies in the government's rice distribution scheme.
Anyone found involved in any irregularities would be blacklisted and also suspended if need be, he added.
“We seriously considered The Daily Star investigation," said Mannan, adding that the magistrate and he himself plan to visit the OMS centres from now on.
Being the head of the regional dealer recruiting and monitoring committee, he also asked for an in depth monitoring report of the dealers by the district administration.
Rajshahi Regional Food Controller Serajul Islam said the daily OMS rice allocation per dealer has been cut down from 4 tonnes to 3 tonnes with effect from today.
He, however, said the total 120 tons of daily rice allocation for Rajshahi city was not always sold out in a manner as reported in The Daily Star report.
“The unsold rice is being adjusted with other days' allocation two or three days later,” said Islam. Though, as per rules, the unsold rice should be adjusted only with next day's allocation.
The dealers said by the time they finish selling rice the OMS offices get closed. So they adjust the unsold portions not daily but a day or two later.
The dealers, as per The Daily Star report, found to be selling OMS rice in the black market, did not come to the meeting, said sources there.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
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