ACC on Rice Graft: Some govt officials, influentials involved

Local influential people and some government officials are getting involved in irregularities in rice procurement and taking bribes from farmers, according to an intelligence report of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The report was submitted to ACC Chairman Iqbal Mahmood yesterday, Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, public relations officer at the ACC, told The Daily Star.

After receiving the report, the ACC chairman asked his officials to take immediate action against the perpetrators.

He also asked the ACC officials to strengthen the monitoring of rice procurement.

Iqbal said that they would also make sure that the local influential people cannot put pressure on the government officials to collect rice from agents or middlemen.

Wishing to be unnamed, an ACC official said there was nexus between the suppliers and procurement officials and it would be very difficult to find out the culprits unless the farmers speak out.

He also requested the deprived rice cultivators to complain by calling the ACC's hotline.

Last month, the ACC filed 15 cases against 20 people, including 14 representatives of the local government, for their alleged involvement in the misappropriation of about 54,000 kg subsidised rice allocated for the poor and vulnerable people.