VGF Rice Scam
UP chairman, education officer sued in Satkhira
Sreeula Union Parishad (UP) chairman Abu Hena Shakil and Assassuni upazila assistant education officer Mushfiqur Rahman have been sued on charge of misappropriating VGF rice, court sources said.
A case was filed against them with the chief judicial magistrate's court here yesterday.
UP member Nazma Amin, elected from the reserved women's seat of Sreeula UP in Assassuni upazila filed the case.
After hearing, Judge Nasim Reza of the judicial magistrate's court asked Assassuni police station officer- in-charge (OC) to investigate the matter and take necessary action, court sources said.
Plaintiff Nazma Amin alleged that the government issued 2,500 VGF cards for the Sidr victims in Sreeula UP. UP chairman Abu Hena Shakil drew 37,500 kilogram of rice from the government godown to distribute among the VGF cards holders on December 14. Each card holder was allotted with 15 kilogram of rice.
Assassuni upazila assistant education officer Mushfiqur Rahman was given the responsibility as tag officer to monitor properdistribution of rice, she said.
But the two accused, in collaboration with each other, distributed 29,354 kilogram of rice among 2,258 VGF card holders. They distributed 13 kilogram of rice to each of them in stead of 15 kilogram. They allegedly misappropriated 3,480 kilogram of rice by selling in black markets, she alleged.
On information, Assassuni Upazila Nirbahi officer Ananda Mohon Biswas raided the UP office and found 4,666 kilogram of rice lying there on December 16, she alleged.
As per statement by the chairman, local authorities distributed 3,630 kilogram of rice among 242 VGF card holders on December 17 and the rest 1,036 kilogram of rice were seized by local administration, she said.
On contact, Sreeula UP chairman Abu Hena Shakil refuted the allegations saying the rice was kept in the UP office as they were unable to distribute rice among the VGD card holders as many did not turn up on December 15. Abu Hena is a local leader of Assassuni upazila Awami League (AL), party sources said.
Despite repeated attempts over cell phone yesterday, Assassuni upazila assistant education officer Mushfiqur Rahman could not be reached for comments in this regard.
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