Misappropriation of rice
We are appalled by the reports of misappropriation of rice allocated for victims of the recent devastating landslides in the hilly districts. Many of these victims haven't yet received their share of rice – 30kg for each – because local leaders have allegedly taken the rice meant for these victims and given them to their relatives and neighbours who were less affected. The allegations do not end there. Authorities also blamed a BNP Ward Councillor when it was found that the list of affected persons has twice as many names as it should have.
Just when we thought that the ordeal of these people – who have lost their homes, belongings, and even loved ones – could not get any worse, claims of such irregularities with food supplies intended for them have surfaced.
It has been more than a week since the landslides – the worst of its kind in a decade – unleashed havoc and it is incomprehensible as to why a transparent and structured mechanism of distribution of rice isn't yet in place. The fact that individuals yielding political power are getting their hands on these much-needed food supplies and misusing them clearly points to a lack of supervision in the distribution process.
After all this, the authorities have rightly decided to involve executive magistrates, police and local elected representatives to tackle corruption. The government's well-intended relief efforts will go in vain if these irregularities are not immediately addressed.
We must remember that the ongoing relief efforts are only the first step towards supporting the people affected by the landslides, and a failure to deliver on this does little to restore our confidence that the much more arduous task of rehabilitating them in the long-term will be carried out efficiently.
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