<i>Fake beneficiary draws dead man's elderly allowance</i>

15 July 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Nilphamari

A fake beneficiary has drawn allowance for the elderly people against a dead man for a few months allegedly in connivance with a few staff of a bank branch at Domar. Adhar Mamud, an elderly man of ward No 8 of Sonarai union of Domar upazila, enjoyed allowance for the elderly people for a couple of years with card No 2608, sources said. After his natural death on September 9 in 2008, union parishad Chairman concerned Mostafizar Rahman issued his death certificate. He also provided written information to the authorities of the bank branch and department concerned of the government in this regard. In Domar upazila allowance for the elderly people is disbursed from Domar branch of that particular bank. Evidence has been found that somebody had drawn his allowance in the months of April, May and June of the current year while officials concerned suppressed records of drawing the allowance against the dead man in other months after his death, sources said. Before disbursing the allowance, the bank official concerned must check the beneficiary's photograph kept in the register to see that the person who has come to draw the money is genuine. But the rule was ignored intentionally to give the allowance to a fake beneficiary, sources alleged. The Sonarai UP chairman has made a written complaint to the government department concerned and the bank authorities regarding this irregularity. Asked about the matter, officials of the bank branch declined to make any comment.