Kalapara UNO hands over UP chairman, another to police

Upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Kalapara in Patuakhali on Wednesday handed over a union parishad (UP) chairman and his accomplice to police after recovering 550 kg stolen rice meant to be distributed among the ultra-poor.

Police later showed the two arrested in a case filed by project implementation officer (PIO) of the upazila, our Patuakhali correspondent reports.

The arrestees are Humayun Kabir Keramat, chairman of Chakamoiya UP; and Jalal Hossain Chakor.

Kalapara UNO Munibur Rahman said after receiving complaints that rice for distribution under the government’s vulnerable group feeding (VGF) was being misused by the UP chairman, he conducted a raid in the union.

His inspection team found 550 kg of VGF rice, in 18 bags, stashed in Jalal’s house near Chakamoiya Government Primary School. Searching near a pond in his house, they also recovered eight rice bags that had been emptied in the pond.  

Tapon Kumar Ghosh, PIO of the upazila, said the UP chairman was allotted 69,210 kg (69.21 tons) of VGF rice for distribution ahead of Eid-Ul-Azha.

The UNO led the team in the area on Wednesday when locals raised allegation of irregularities during distribution of the rice at the school.   

Following the discovery of the stolen rice, the UNO handed over UP Chairman Humayun and Jalal to police, the PIO said, adding that they filed a case in the evening with Kalapara Police Station, accusing Humayun, Jalal and three others -- UP member Zakir Hossain Gazi, Jamal Hawlader and Gias Matubbar. 

Asadur Rahman, officer-in-charge of the police station, said they were conducting raids to arrest the others.

Meanwhile, a mobile court seized over 60 tonnes of VGF rice in Gorurbazar area in Habiganj town on Wednesday night, reports our Moulvibazar correspondent.

Executive Magistrate Yasin Arafat Rana, who led the mobile court, said on information, they raided Surma Auto Rice and Flower Mill in Gorurbazar area around 11:00pm and seized 31.5 tonnes of rice in 1,050 bags and about 3 tonnes of unpacked rice in its warehouse.

Another 25.8 tonnes of rice, in 860 bags, were found on a truck in the mill compound.

Necessary action would be taken against the miller if any wrongdoing is proven during investigation, he added.

The seized rice was handed over to Habiganj Sadar police, said Masuk Ali, officer-in-charge of  the police station.

Under the VGF programme of the government, each recipient would receive 15 kg rice before Eid-ul-Azha.