More relief rice recovered

In the wake of widespread allegations over theft of rice meant for the poor, law enforcers continue drives to recover such rice.

At least five people were arrested in this connection and 326 sacks of rice were recovered from four districts since Wednesday morning.

In most cases, local Awami League leaders are involved with stealing rice. But for the first time, a BNP man was arrested in Bogura on Wednesday for storing OMS rice at his house.

Since March 30, law enforcers have recovered over 297 tonnes of rice (5,959 sacks containing 50kg each) and arrested 49 people in 46 upazilas in these connections. They also seized 6,480 litres of soya bean oil, 18 sacks of sugar, and 25 sacks of chickpea.

Amid the allegations of relief rice embezzlement, the government has postponed the open market sale and taken an initiative to issue cards for people of lower-income groups across the country to sell them rice at Tk 10.

Our district correspondents report on the drives and the rice recovery.

In Barishal, a Rab team seized 184 sacks of rice from the house of Noor-e-Alam, AL-backed chairman of Kedarpur union in Babuganj upazila, early yesterday.

Jakir Hossain and Rokonuzzaman, two UP members, were sentenced to a month's imprisonment for their involvement with the embezzlement, said Babuganj UNO Suzit Halder, who went to the spot with Rab team as an executive magistrate.

He added that the chairman, along with two brothers, and an OMS dealer went into hiding after the incident.

A case was filed with Babuganj Police Station accusing four people, including the chairman, in this connection.

Police detained a trader for selling relief rice in Sirajganj's Chowhali upazila on Wednesday night.

Over 40 sacks of such rice were recovered from the trader's warehouse and a UP member's house.

A case was lodged against rice trader Abu Bakar of Jotgari Bazar and UP member Rafiqul Islam of Khaskaulia Dakshinpara village, said Rashidul Hasan Biswas, OC of Chowhali Police Station, adding that the UP member went into hiding.

In Bogura, police held Mirza Golam Hafiz Sohag, BNP-backed chairman of Majhihatto Union Parishad, for storing nine sacks, containing 330kg of rice, at home in Shibganj upazila on Wednesday evening.

Mizanur Rahman, OC of Shibganj Police Station, said the case statement would be sent to the Anti-Corruption Commission office in Bogura.

In another incident, police seized 14 sacks of relief rice from a closed shop at Galagaon Bazar in Mymensingh's Tarakanda yesterday afternoon.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided the shop of rice trader Emdadul Haque and recovered the rice, said Abul Khayer, officer-in-charge of Tarakanda Police Station.

But the trader managed to flee, the OC added.

Besides, a mobile court recovered 11 sacks of such rice from the possession of a dealer of Muktagachha upazila on Wednesday evening. The court jailed him for three days and fined him Tk 30,000.

In two other incidents in the upazila, police rescued 47 sacks of rice from the possession of a dealer in Daugaon and 21 sacks of rice from the possession of two other dealers in Tarati union in the morning.

Two separate cases were lodged.

Our correspondents from Barishal, Bogura, Pabna, and Mymensingh contributed to this report.