Cox’s Bazar Correspondent :
At least 50,569 families at Teknaf, Ramu and Moheshkhali upazilas of the district have not got the Tk 10 per kg rice in September distributed under the government’s ‘food-friendly programme’ since they did not get their cards because of delay in processing the list in time by the local public representatives. As a result, 1,516 metric tons of rice, which was allocated for distribution in that month, has been sent back. Sources said, due to conflict among the public representatives and in some cases for the alleged irregularities and nepotism, the processing of the list and the distribution of cards faced setback. In some areas, the distribution drive was not started yet showing the cause of formal inauguration by the representatives.
Meanwhile, conflicting statements from the local Food Department and the public representatives have been surfaced in some cases. It is known that the government took initiative to distribute the Tk 10 per kg rice among 50 lakh families across the country in three months- September, October and November, in the first phase.
On September 7 last, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the rice distribution drive. But, due to the alleged negligence in processing the list of the beneficiaries by the local public representatives, many families here did not get the first-phase rice.
Despite an order to make the list of 87,722 families in the district within the first week of the previous month, the local union parishad (UP) chairmen and members failed to accomplish the task. As a result, only 37,153 families got the rice in September, but the rest were deprived. Though one and a half months were passed, the full list of the beneficiaries at Ramu, Moheshkhali, Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas was not processed, while dealers for Ukhia upazila except for Ramu, Moheshkhali and Teknaf upazilas, have not been appointed. Meanwhile, at Ramu, Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas, the distribution drive was not started yet for inauguration by the public representatives, it was alleged.
District food office sources said, a total of 87,722 cardholder families in eight upazilas here will get the rice, and in this connection, 128 dealers in six upazilas have been appointed, and the process for appointing dealers in Teknaf upazila has been finalised. But, in Ukhia upazila, it has not been finalised.
The main responsibility for making the list was given to the public representatives, but due to a delay in making the list, only 37,156 card holder families got the rice, while 50,569 families have not got any rice. Of the deprived families, 10,816 are in Ramu, 13,265 in Moheshkhali, 10,329 in Ukhia, and 16,159 in Teknaf upazila.
Chairman of Ratnapalong UP under Ukhia upazila Khairul Alam Chowdhury said, “The list of 1,129 was finalised in my UP. I admit that there was a delay in sorting the list. We will distribute the cards within some days.”
Ukhia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Main Uddin said, “We did not get the list from the public representatives in time. But, in the meantime, the list of the beneficiaries and the process to appoint dealers have been finalised. The rice will be distributed soon.”
Chairman of Dhalghata UP under Moheshkhali upazila Kamrul Hasan said, the list of 581 has been finalised in his UP, and it has been submitted 15 days ago.
In this connection, Moheshkhali UNO Mohammad Abul Kalam said, “Only one UP chairman submitted the list earlier, but the rest are making delay. The rice would be distributed in the current month.”
According to food office rules, if an allocation for a month is not withdrawn, it would be declared invalid. In the meantime, the allocation of 1,516 MT rice for 50,566 families has been cancelled.
District Food Controller SM Tahsinul Haque said, “As we did not get the list from the UP chairmen and members in time, we could not distribute the rice among most of the families in September. Due to a delay in the name of the drive’s inauguration, the distribution has remained closed at Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas. But, we hope that within the current month, all the beneficiaries in 71 unions will get the rice. But, the allocation of September has been sent back since many beneficiaries did not withdraw the rice.”
Deputy Commissioner Md Ali Hossen said, “In this connection, we prompted the UNOs more than once in several meetings. We had to depend solely on the public representatives as it is their duty to make list and perform other works. But from us, we are trying our level best so that all the beneficiaries get the rice in time.”
At least 50,569 families at Teknaf, Ramu and Moheshkhali upazilas of the district have not got the Tk 10 per kg rice in September distributed under the government’s ‘food-friendly programme’ since they did not get their cards because of delay in processing the list in time by the local public representatives. As a result, 1,516 metric tons of rice, which was allocated for distribution in that month, has been sent back. Sources said, due to conflict among the public representatives and in some cases for the alleged irregularities and nepotism, the processing of the list and the distribution of cards faced setback. In some areas, the distribution drive was not started yet showing the cause of formal inauguration by the representatives.
Meanwhile, conflicting statements from the local Food Department and the public representatives have been surfaced in some cases. It is known that the government took initiative to distribute the Tk 10 per kg rice among 50 lakh families across the country in three months- September, October and November, in the first phase.
On September 7 last, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the rice distribution drive. But, due to the alleged negligence in processing the list of the beneficiaries by the local public representatives, many families here did not get the first-phase rice.
Despite an order to make the list of 87,722 families in the district within the first week of the previous month, the local union parishad (UP) chairmen and members failed to accomplish the task. As a result, only 37,153 families got the rice in September, but the rest were deprived. Though one and a half months were passed, the full list of the beneficiaries at Ramu, Moheshkhali, Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas was not processed, while dealers for Ukhia upazila except for Ramu, Moheshkhali and Teknaf upazilas, have not been appointed. Meanwhile, at Ramu, Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas, the distribution drive was not started yet for inauguration by the public representatives, it was alleged.
District food office sources said, a total of 87,722 cardholder families in eight upazilas here will get the rice, and in this connection, 128 dealers in six upazilas have been appointed, and the process for appointing dealers in Teknaf upazila has been finalised. But, in Ukhia upazila, it has not been finalised.
The main responsibility for making the list was given to the public representatives, but due to a delay in making the list, only 37,156 card holder families got the rice, while 50,569 families have not got any rice. Of the deprived families, 10,816 are in Ramu, 13,265 in Moheshkhali, 10,329 in Ukhia, and 16,159 in Teknaf upazila.
Chairman of Ratnapalong UP under Ukhia upazila Khairul Alam Chowdhury said, “The list of 1,129 was finalised in my UP. I admit that there was a delay in sorting the list. We will distribute the cards within some days.”
Ukhia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Main Uddin said, “We did not get the list from the public representatives in time. But, in the meantime, the list of the beneficiaries and the process to appoint dealers have been finalised. The rice will be distributed soon.”
Chairman of Dhalghata UP under Moheshkhali upazila Kamrul Hasan said, the list of 581 has been finalised in his UP, and it has been submitted 15 days ago.
In this connection, Moheshkhali UNO Mohammad Abul Kalam said, “Only one UP chairman submitted the list earlier, but the rest are making delay. The rice would be distributed in the current month.”
According to food office rules, if an allocation for a month is not withdrawn, it would be declared invalid. In the meantime, the allocation of 1,516 MT rice for 50,566 families has been cancelled.
District Food Controller SM Tahsinul Haque said, “As we did not get the list from the UP chairmen and members in time, we could not distribute the rice among most of the families in September. Due to a delay in the name of the drive’s inauguration, the distribution has remained closed at Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas. But, we hope that within the current month, all the beneficiaries in 71 unions will get the rice. But, the allocation of September has been sent back since many beneficiaries did not withdraw the rice.”
Deputy Commissioner Md Ali Hossen said, “In this connection, we prompted the UNOs more than once in several meetings. We had to depend solely on the public representatives as it is their duty to make list and perform other works. But from us, we are trying our level best so that all the beneficiaries get the rice in time.”
