AL men sell VGF cards in Bogra
The activists of local Awami League and its front organisations allegedly sold a huge number of vulnerable group feeding (VGF) cards among the distressed and solvent people in several areas, including Gabtoli and Shahjahanpur upazilas in Bogra, according to the local administration.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) Bogra AKM Zillur Rahman told this correspondent over a cellphone on Thursday that the district administration formed five teams to ensure smooth distribution of quality food and corruption-free enrolment of VGF cards.
“We have received complaints unofficially from several areas about VGF enrolment and distribution,” said the officer.
The ruling party activists locally made committees in several areas in the district to enrol names of the distressed people for VGF cards violating the existing law, said a senior official of the district administration, adding that in some cases, they sold the cards at Tk 50 to Tk 100 per person.
DRRO office sources said the government has allocated 2.25 lakh VGF cards for Bogra district only for distribution of 3,375 tonnes of rice among the poor.
Secretary of Khottapara Union Awami League Md Jalal Uddin admitted that a seven-member committee was formed for each word to find out really distressed people eligible for the cards, but he denied the allegation of collecting money against VGF cards.
Khottapara UP Chairman Younus Ali Khandker admitted the allegation.
On the other hand, the party men ignored distressed couple like Zobeda, 70, her husband Mokbul Hossain, 80, and others. “It is learnt according to a list that someone received 15 kgs of rice in favour of Renuka of Mostail village,” said Younus. Her card number is 944, but she did not know about her VGF card during the visit.
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