Thousands of people without jobs and incomes due to the ongoing shutdown are going to bed hungry every day, while unethical public representatives, political leaders, and local influentials are reportedly stealing rice meant for the poor and the vulnerable.
On Monday, local administrations discovered many incidents of relief theft and arrested people involved in these corrupt practices from five districts.
In Joypurhat, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a man named Mehedi Hasan with 85 sacks of Open Market Sale (OMS) rice from Kathalbari village of Akkelpur upazila, said RAB-5 Camp Commander Additional Superintendent of Police, Mohaiminur Rashid.
In Kurigram, the upazila administration seized 20 sacks of sugar and 8 sacks of lentils from Kharibari Bazar of Barobhita Union in Phulbari upazila, said Upazila Nirbahi Officer Masuma Arefin.
In Jhalakathi, locals authorities seized six sacks of rice, weighing 180kgs, from the home of a former Union Parishad member named Hossain Ali from Ghigra village of Shuktagor union under Rajapur upazila, said UNO Sohag Hawlader." The accused UP member was sentenced to six months in jail."
In Jamalpur, a mobile court seized 388 sacks of rice weighing 19400 kgs from Guthail Bazar in Islampur upazila, said UNO Md Mizanur Rahman.
In Dinajpur, police seized 869 sacks of rice meant for the poor from a poultry farm of Shingra Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Mannan in Ghoraghat upazila, said Upazila Nirbahi Officer Waheda Kahnom." However, the accused chairman fled from the scene," she added.
