Lack of proper monitoring, political interference and tyranny of various syndicates have infested the ration project in the cluster villages of the hilly district of Khagrachhari.
About 26,000 residents of 84 cluster villages, commonly known as gucchagram, have been facing hardship as they are deprived of the ration allocation.
The poverty-stricken villagers of these guchhagram heavily rely on the ration programme for their daily need of rice, wheat and other necessities.
Locals said since there was no one to look after the programme, the rice and wheat have been misappropriated by activists and various political party leaders who sell those in the open market.
Many residents just sign the papers but do not get any ration. Even if they do, the amount is always less than the allocation.
The posts of the chairman of the projects in Comilla Tila and Shalbon gucchagram have been lying vacant for six month now hampering the distribution of ration.
It has been alleged that a syndicate has been trying to make a business out of the appointment of the chairman in the empty posts. Without following the due procedure, they have been trying to appoint their own men.
After the term of the previous chairman ended, Md Islam Uddin, councillor of ward 6 of Khagrachhari municipality applied for the post.
However, his file has been not been processed yet for some unknown reason.
Md Islam Uddin said: “According to the gucchagram regulation, I have the priority as the people’s representative. But my application has not been forwarded to the deputy commissioner yet.”
He alleged that the local MP recommended to appoint Anwar Hossain, who had been accused of swindling Tk6 lakh of the Gucchagram Cooperative Society in 2012.
“I will go to the court if anyone is appointed by illegals means,” he added.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Khagrachhari Sadar Mir Shawkat Hossain said the recommendation from the local MP would get priority.
Meanwhile, Mayor of Khagrachhari Municipality Rafiqul Alam said: “It is a violation of the rule not to appoint a people’s representative. The administration has been playing with the fate of gucchagram residents.”
Contacted, deputy commissioner of Khagrachhari Md Wahiduzzaman assured to appoint the chairman according to the regulation.
“Since I came here, I have not appointed any chairman for the project. A decision about the those two guchhagram will be taken after scrutinising the applications and through a committee,” he said adding that what the previous deputy commissioners did with the ration project was not his concern.
