FAIR PRICE RICE SCHEME: Name of dead person put in the list

People of Angaria union parishad alleged that names of expatriates and government service holders have also been put in the list of Tk10 kilogram rice scheme. In September, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the generous food-aid programme for the ultra poor under which a card holder would get rice at Tk10 per kilogram for five months a year during the lean season. The programme – “Sheikh Hasinar Bangladesh, Khudha hobe Niruddesh” – is aimed at making rice available at a very low price for the poor of the country. Some five million families will get the food support for the months of March, April, September, October and November every year. Rahima Begum, widow of Shahjalal Khandar who died five years ago, said she did not know how the name her husband placed in the list. “I heard that someone has received the rice which was allocated for my late husband, I do not who is the person,” she said. The names of Nazma Akter, a primary school teacher (card No 1271), Kuwait expatriate Jahangir Talukdar (1216), and Sajeda Rahman (1258) have been put in the list. Family members of the persons did not rice from union parishad office, they even do not know how their names were registered in ultra poor list. Sajeda Begum said: “I neither know who put my name in the list not need the fair price, as we are solvent people.” Locals – Jobbar Talukdar, Delwar Talukdar, Abul Kashem, Soleman Shikdar, and Farhad Khan – alleged that dealer Mujibur Rahman in collaboration with union parishad chairman put the names of solvent and dead persons to do a brisk business. Mujibur Rahman said: “I disbursed rice following list. If there is mistake in the list, what should I do.” He, however, kept mum when this correspondent wanted to know that how he gave the rice to a dead person. Akibar Khan, member of Ward 9, said there were some mistakes in the list and they would fix the mistakes. Sadar Upzila Nirbahi Officer Ziaur Rahman said he was aware of the irregularities in rice disbursement. “I will take action against the people who are doing the corruption,” he said.