Wheat for two Asrayan projects allegedly misappropriated
Dishonest project committee men with the connivance of a few government officials in Mohammadpur upazila have allegedly misappropriated most of the 268 tonnes of wheat sanctioned for the development work at two Asrayan projects meant for the rehabilitation of landless poor people.
The work under the government's Food for Work programme (FWP) at Bongram Asrayan Project in Palashbaria union of Mohammadpur upazila included earth-filling of low land for constructing new sheds, four and a half feet deep excavation of two ponds, levelling of the premises and filling of holes there with soil.
Recently the army personnel engaged in supervising the construction work of the new sheds at the project site informed the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Mohammadpur about the shortage of soil there as the contractor concerned faced serious difficulties in laying foundation for constructing new sheds.
When contacted, UNO Mohammad Shamsuddouza admitted receiving allegations from the supervising army officials and said, “The allegations have risen now but the development work was finished in May this year. D/Os (delivery orders) were also given that time.”
Claiming that the development work was done properly, the UNO said, "Question of soil shortage at the site might have raised as a portion of it has been washed away in the rainy season."
The newly elected chairman of Palashbari union Monirul Islam Mukul however alleged, “The PICs in collusion with some dishonest officials of the upazila administration embezzled most of the wheat sanctioned for Bongram Asrayan after doing little development work here.”
During a recent visit to the project site, this correspondent found that two ponds were re-excavated around one foot against the scheduled 4.5 feet while filling of holes and levelling of the Asrayan premises were not done.
The wheat worth about Tk 42.88 lakh (according to then market price) was sanctioned in the fiscal year 2010-11 following a petition submitted to the prime minister on behalf of 260 dwellers at the Asrayan, said sources in Mohammadpur upazila project implementation office (UPIO).
From Prime Minster's Priority Project, 187.95 tonnes of wheat were sanctioned for 'Bongram Asrayan Project-1' and 80.20 tonnes for 'Bongram Asrayan Project-2', they said.
The first project implementation committee (PIC) of Bongram Asrayan Project-1 was headed by the then chairman of Palashbaria union parishad (UP) Akbar Hossain while PIC for the Bongram Asrayan Project-2 was led by UP member Mohammad Jamaluddin.
The PICs headed by Akbar and Jamaluddin respectively took delivery of 142.95 tonnes and 60.27 tonnes of wheat in three instalments from April 11 to April 26 this year, said sources at Mohammadpur UPIO.
Following announcement of UP election, in May this year new PICs were formed headed by Assistant Rural Development Officer Abu Khaled and Upazila Cooperative Officer Pankaj Kumar Mondal while the supervising official was the then project implementation officer (PIO) Monowar Mahmud, the UPIO sources said.
The committee led by Abu Khaled took the D/O of the rest 45 tonnes of wheat for the project-1 on May 19 while the committee headed by Pankaj Kumar Mondal took the D/O of 20 tonnes for the project-2.
President of Bongram Asrayan Samity Selim Reza alleged that the committee members led by Akbar and Jamaluddin with the connivance of then PIO Monowar Mahmud misappropriated most of the wheat after doing a nominal work.
Contacted over cell phone, both Akbar and Jamaluddin refuted the allegations against them.
When asked, how they can deny the allegations as they took delivery of over three- fourths of the total wheat sanctioned for the projects, Akbar remained silent for a while and said, “We have done the work properly but the next committees led by the government officials and comprising ruling party activists did no work at all.”
Firoz Ahmed, surveyor of the Mohammadpur land office, who was deputed for measuring soil work under the project, however, told this correspondent that the work was not done according to the schedule.
The existing PIC heads Abu Khaled and Pankaj Kumar Mondal declined to make any comment about the allegations and said that they have no duty other than signing the papers.
General Secretary of Mohammadpur upazila unit Awami League Abdul Mannan said, he does not know anything about embezzling of project money by his party men.
Denying his involvement in the wheat misuse, the then PIO Monowar Mahmud, claimed that the soil related work at the Asrayan project was done as per the design by engineers from the prime minister's office.
Several Asrayan dwellers like Mohamad Selim and Amena said there was not enough soil to fill up the holes on the Asrayan premises as very little re-excavation work was done in the ponds.
Existing PIO Laltu Mian declined to make any comment on the matter as he has joined there only a few days ago.
Contacted, Magura DC Sushanta Kumar Saha said, “I heard about the misappropriation of wheat sanctioned for the development work of Bangram Asrayan project. Although I am yet to get any specific allegation, lawful steps will be taken within a few days after proper investigation.”
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