At least 1,830 kilograms of meat, a gift of sacrificial long tailed sheep (locally called dumba) from the Saudi Arabia government to Bangladeshi people was found missing in Joypurhat.

The incident triggered resentment among the poor people, said locals.

The district relief and rehabilitation office was expected to get 3,490kg meat as per papers.

According to the officials, a covered van carrying 349 cartons of meat reached the deputy commissioner's office complex on Wednesday evening from Mongla port. Each carton can hold 10kg meat.

But during unloading, they found that 183 cartons out of 349 were empty, said Mofakhkharul Islam, district relief and rehabilitation officer in Joypurhat.

Farid Hossain, officer-in-charge of Joypurhat Sadar Police Station, said they detained Md Shahid Hossain, driver of the covered van, in this connection.

During primary interrogation, the detainee informed the law enforcers that the cartons were loaded in his van on Tuesday. Later, the distributor sealed off the van's door.

He drove the van to straight Joypurhat, said the OC.

The meat was embezzled during loading, the police official said quoting Shahid.   

Every year the Saudi government sends the meat of sacrificial dumba to the poor people of Bangladesh, said Alamgir Hossain, a resident of Joypurhat, adding that the incident of its missing triggered resentment among the poor and destitute people in the district.