Members of Rapid Action Battalion have seized approximately 20 metric tons of government rice, 360 empty jute sacks, and a truck in Jamalpur on Monday.
The operation was led by Major Md Abdur Razzak, Company Commander of RAB.
The rice, packed in 398 sacks of 50 kilogram each, was found at Lincoln's Rice Mill in Damdama Bakuletla Bazar, 5th ward of Itail union, Jamalpur Sadar upazila around 7pm.
The total value of the seized rice is estimated at Tk892,800.
On Tuesday, Jinnat Shamsunnahar, the Food Controller of Sadar upazila, filed a case at the local police station under the 1974 Food Ordinance, naming Mustafidul Islam Lincoln and 5-6 unidentified accomplices.
The case followed an investigation confirming the illicit rice hoarding.
According to local sources, the rice, originally allocated for government projects, had been diverted by Mustafidul Islam Lincoln and his syndicate.
They were caught unloading the rice from government-labeled sacks and transferring it into new plastic sacks.
Upon receiving the news, local food authorities arrived at the scene with RAB officials and found that the district food officer, Asaduzzaman Khan, had tried to cover up the matter by attempting to release the rice after a fine was imposed through a mobile court.
Later, at 10pm, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md Sihabul Arif of Sadar upazila arrived and recovered 360 empty jute sacks from inside Lincoln's rice mill, confirming that the rice was government-supplied.
On Tuesday, RAB handed over the rice to Jamalpur Sadar police Station.
However, Lincoln and his associates managed to escape and are currently on the run.
Local residents have called for the black-market rice dealers and their accomplices to be brought to justice.
A worker at the rice mill, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that they were instructed to unload the rice and change the sacks.
Many locals suspect that government officials may be involved in the racket, and they are calling for a thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice.
Jamalpur District Food Officer Asaduzzaman Khan declined to comment when asked about the incident.
Meanwhile, RAB's Assistant Superintendent of Police and Media Officer, Md Abdul Hai Chowdhury, confirmed that operations are ongoing to arrest Mustafidul Islam Lincoln and the other suspects.
