Officials gobble up funds for distressed women

The money was stolen by a section of officials by preparing fake papers and putting forged signatures of distressed women. The forgery was revealed when the so-called recipients got letters for repayment of loans which they never took.

The matter is being probed by Abdur Rouf, Assistant Commissioner (Land), sources in the upazila administration said.

The Women Affairs Department in Saidpur got Tk 7.6 lakh in 2004-05 and 2005-06 financial years for distribution among distressed women under a self-employment programme.

As per official records, the money was disbursed among 89 women in Saidpur municipality and five unions in the upazila for goat and duck rearing, setting up small poultry farms, buying sewing machines and for petty business. The loan money varied from Tk 5,000 to Tk 15,000, shown to have been disbursed in five phases.

During preliminary investigation following complaints by the so-called recipients, it came to light that 70 out of the total 89 women listed as recipients did not get loans. An amount of Tk 6 lakh out of Tk 7.6 lakh was stolen by officials by putting fake signatures of 70 distressed women. But most of the 70 women got letters for repayment of loans which they never received.

Afroza Begum, wife of Mozaharul Islam of Bangalipur in Saidpur municipality got a notice for repayment of a loan of Tk 13,000.

After getting the notice, she rushed to the upazila woman's affairs office and found her fake signature in the ledger book.

Similar allegations were made by Moyna, Masuda Begum, Jahan, Habsha Begum, Fatema Begum and many others.

Fatema Begum told newsmen that she got a letter to repay Tk 10,000. At the office, she detected her fake signature in the ledger book. She said she never applied for loan.

"Two years back, I applied for training under the self-employment programme of the Women Affair's Department but I did not get the scope", Fatema said.

The deprived women then submitted a written complaint to Saidpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nafiul Hasan demanding investigation into the matter.

Chairman of Bangalipur Union Parhisad, Musauddin Pramanik, also filed a complaint to the UNO demanding investigation into the forgery.

He said identification by local Union Parishad chairman or member is needed for a distressed women to apply for loan under the programme.

"None came to me for identification and my signature for loan. My forged signatures were put in the loan applications", he said.

When contacted, Saidpur upazila Women Affairs Officer Kawsar Parvin said the loans were disbursed during the tenure of her predecessor Nahid Sultana, who is now Women Affairs Officer in Chirir Bandor upazila in Dinajpur district. She admitted that the loan money (Tk 7.6 lakh) was sanctioned for Saidpur upazila.

Contacted over phone, Nahid Sultana admitted that she was working in Saidpur when the loans were disbursed. She claimed that the loans were distributed by Swapna Rani, the then 'daycare officer' in Woman's Affairs Department in Saidpur. She denied her involvement in the alleged misappropriation.

This correspondent also contacted Swapna Rani, now working as Programme Officer of Women Affair's Department in Nilphamari Sadar upazila. But Rani refused to make any comment.

Saidpur UNO Nafiul Hasan said he also got complaints alleging forgery and misappropriation of the loan money.

"Investigation is going on into the matter as per directive of the ministry", he told this correspondent.