Fake millers selling rice to govt
Talukder Rice Mill is registered with the local food office and eligible to sell rice to the government. According to papers, it is located in Jummapara village of Lalmonirhat sadar upazila. But when this correspondent went to visit the mill recently, all he found at the location is an abandoned concrete surface, two tin-roof houses, and a poultry farm. In fact, there is no rice mill in the entire village.
When asked, the mill owner, Pasan Talukder, said he closed down the mill and sold its land four years ago. But what is puzzling is he has supplied 20 tonnes of rice to the government as a listed miller, under the ongoing food procurement programme.
This is one of the dozens of rice mills which are non-existent but took the benefit of the procurement programme, depriving many genuine millers.
There are 480 registered rice mills in Lalmonirhat, from which the district food office was supposed to buy 10,731 tonnes of rice this boro season. Of the amount, 7,200 tonnes were already procured, till July 4. Allotment varies according to the capacity of the mills.
The aggrieved millers said that about one third of the listed mills are fake, and the claim is corroborated by some of the fake millers themselves and this correspondent’s visits to several locations.
“I’m farming papaya on the land cited as the location of my rice mill,” said Belal Hossain of Gendutari village of the sadar upazila, a listed miller.
He sold 22 tonnes of rice to the government.
So did Uzzal Hossain, who owns four mills in the same village which exist in paper only. He sold 27 tonnes. When asked, Uzzal proudly said, “It doesn’t matter how I got enlisted.”
Visiting across the sadar upazila, this reporter looked out for Abdullah Enterprise and Mohana Enterprise at Mogholhat village, Azizul Mill at Kulaghat, Talha Enterprise at Durakuti, Nayeem Enterprise at Burirbazar, Janata Husking Mill at Bhataibari, Hridi Rice Mill at Nayarhat, and Bhai Husking Mill and Moni Husking Mill at Mahendranagar. But he could find none of them.
This reporter also visited at least 45 rice mills in four other upazilas -- Aditmari, Kaliganj, Hatibandha and Patgram -- and found 17 fake rice mills and 10 non-operational ones, which closed down two to three years ago.
Nazir Ali, 56, a resident of Gotamari village in Hatibandha upazila, said there is no mill in the village but some chatals or concrete surfaces are there for drying paddy.
Still, Almaha Rice Mill is enlisted. When contacted, its owner Syed Ali suggested that this correspondent communicate with the food officer concerned for details about the mill.
Talking to The Daily Star, authentic millers blamed “a nexus between unscrupulous food officials and fake rice mill owners” for the evil practice.
They protested the irregularities by confining Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila Food Controller (UFC) Ayub Ali to the district food office for three hours on May 19. The millers alleged that the UFC enlisted non-existent rice mills in exchange for bribes.
One of the millers said Ayub Ali took Tk 40,000-60,000 from each fake miller. He refused to be quoted fearing that his allotment might get cancelled.
Belal Hossain, who is listed but has no mill, also acknowledged it, saying “irregularities and corruption are common in the food office.”
Following allegations, the district food controller office has formed a five-member committee to verify their physical status, infrastructure and necessary documents of 17 rice mills in the sadar upazila. An office order was issued regarding this on May 15.
Contacted, UFC Ayub Ali flatly denied the allegations. He said he enlisted mills following the clearance certificates of the Department of Environment (DoE). But he remained silent when asked if he had visited the mills, which are said to be fake.
According to rules, mill owners have to apply for enlistment, and the UFC concerned is supposed to visit the locations to verify that the mills have proper infrastructure, a functioning milling machine, and papers including environment certificates.
Hatibandha Upazila Food Controller (additional charge) Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, who was made head of the five-member committee to check on the 17 rice mills, said, “I will visit all mills to verify their existence soon.”
District Controller of Food in Lalmonirhat (additional charge) Kazi Saifuddin said an investigation was going on against non-existent mills, and action would be taken as per rules. “Food officials found guilty of enlisting fake mills will face departmental action.”
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