THREE more union parishad public representatives were suspended yesterday for their alleged irregularities in distributing rice allocated for the vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme. They are BM Nasir Uddin Swapan, Union Parishad chairman; UP member of Ward No 3 Mofazzal Bepari and Shamim Bepari, UP member of Ward No. 9, from Kuchaipotti Union Parishad under Gosairhat upazila in Shariatpur district, according to the LGRD Ministry. A number of 52 public representatives — 19 union parishad chairmen, 31 UP members, one Zila Parishad member and one Councillor of a municipality — have so far been suspended for misappropriating relief materials. In a notice issued on the same day, the Ministry concerned asked the suspended public representatives to explain through respective Deputy Commissioners why they should not be removed permanently from their posts.
What we see that local representatives do not feel any responsibility for the people of their electoral areas. They have also no accountability to the higher ups. The reason is clear. Most of them haven’t elected by popular votes of the people. Rather, they have managed their victory using local administrations and spending money. So they will be very much eager to regain their lost money by any means. This time, we also see silent role of lawmakers in the respective constituencies. They have apparently been excluded from their responsibilities of distributing relief materials to the poor people. Even Ministers of concerned districts are not given any task relating to relief distribution. Rather senior secretaries and secretaries have been assigned for the tasks. That means, government high-ups don’t want to depend on political representatives anymore. It seems that entire chain of people’s representatives has been involved in corruption.
It will be a foolish task depending on the corrupt representatives when situation is deteriorating day by day. It needs overhauling of the total system.
