'Eid special surprise' for VGF card holders
Issuance of new VGF cards by Dinajpur municipality to provide only 3kg of rice instead of 10kg against each card under Eid special programme has surprised the beneficiaries.
According to the district relief and rehabilitation officials, 1,860.580 tonnes of rice have been allocated to distribute among 1,85,058 poor families in the district and each VGF cardholders will get 10kg of rice.
Of the allocation, Dinajpur municipality got 49.210 tonnes of rice for 5,000 VGF cardholders. But the councillors issued 4,000 more cards and each cardholder will get 3kg of rice.
Many poor people, who gathered at Dinajpur Municipality complex on July 23 and 24, became confused, receiving two different quantity of rice from the same venue.
Later, the municipality authorities stopped distributing 3kg of rice among the cardholders on instructions of the deputy commissioner's office.
VGF cardholders came to Dinajpur municipality office on Saturday to receive rice, but they had to return home empty handed. Councillors of the municipality said they issued new VGF cards to bring more poor people under Eid special programme.
Anwarul Islam, president of Dinajpur town unit of Awami League, said the municipality authorities have violated the government instruction by distributing 3kg of rice among the VGF cardholders instead of 10kg.
Local people are confused about issuance of two types of VGF cards and some of them have brought allegation of corruption against the municipality authorities, the AL leader added.
Despite repeated attempts, this correspondent could not contact Mayor Md Jahangir Alam of Dinajpur municipality as he turned off his cellphone.
However, lawmaker Iqbalur Rahim distributed 10 kg of rice to each VGF cardholders in different areas of Sadar upazila yesterday.
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