8.4 tonnes of VGD rice embezzled

A union parishad (UP) member in Kalapara upazila under the district allegedly misappropriated 8.4 tonnes of rice meant for VGD (vulnerable group development) programme.

Md Delwar Hossain, member of Champapur UP in Kalapara, received 8.4 tonnes of rice from Kalapara food godown on December 31 last year as allocation for the month to distribute among 280 listed ultra poor families in the union but he did not give it to the beneficiaries as of yesterday [January 27], said Abdul Jalil Sikder, Kalapara food godown officer.

Each of 280 listed ultra poor families in the union gets 30 kg of rice per month under VGD, a government-run social safety programme.

Locals alleged that the UP member sold the VGD rice in the black market.

As per rule, the rice should be distributed among the listed poor families in presence of a supervising officer appointed by the upazila parishad. 

Kalapara Upazila Cooperative Officer Touhidul Islam, who is presently serving as the supervising officer, locally called 'tag officer', said no rice allocated for December was distributed under VGD programme in Champapur union.

Md Delwar Hossain, the UP member under question, said, "I received the rice allocated for December. I will distribute it along with the allocation for January."

Local UP Chairman Md Rintu Talukder said rice would be distributed among poor people within five to seven days.

Contacted, Kalapara Assistant Commissioner (Land) Dipok Kumar Roy, also acting upazila nirbahi officer, said he heard the matter and proper step would be taken after proper investigation.