The government has stepped up its efforts to stop the misappropriation of relief materials allocated for the destitute people during the coronavirus pandemic, an official said.
As part of the move, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (LGRD & Co-operatives) has requested all concerned bodies including police to beef up their monitoring activities to check irregularities in relief distributions by the union parishad (UP) chairmen and members.
“We have asked all concerned officials including police in the districts and upazila level to gear up their efforts to check misappropriation of relief materials allocated for the needy and distressed people,” LGRD & Co-operatives Minister Md Tajul Islam told the FE on Monday.
He said the number of incidents or rate of misappropriation of relief materials by the elected representatives of local government bodies has reduced due to stern actions taken against the union parishad chairmen and members by the government.
“This punishment will continue… We will spare none (chairmen and members) if they get involved with misappropriation of relief materials allocated for the needy and poor people,” he reiterated his warning.
The LGRD & Co-operatives ministry started coming down heavily against the chairmen and members who are involved with such dishonest acts (embezzlement of relief foods) following the strong directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Meanwhile, the ministry temporarily suspended three more chairmen and nine members of different union parishads for their alleged involvement in irregularities of relief materials.
The ministry in a circular on Sunday last suspended the chairmen and members of different union parishads.
It has took the action against the chairmen and members under section 34 (1) of Local Government (Union Parishad) Act 2009.
The temporarily suspended chairmen are: Chairman of Niamatpur UP under Karimganj upazila of Kishoreganj Makhdum Kabir Tonmoy, Chairman of Arjunpur Baramhati UP under Lalpur upazila of Natore Md Abdus Sattar and Chairman of Majihotto UP under Shibganj upazila of Bogra Mirza Golam Hafiz Sohag.
The suspended UP members are: member of ward no. five (5) of Arjunpur Baramhati UP under Lalpur upazila of Natore Md Reza, member of ward no. six (6) of Kedurpur UP under Babuganj upazila of Barisal Md Jakir Hossain, member of ward no. eight (8) of Hajirhat UP under Monpura upazila of Bhola Md Abdur Rab Patwary, member of ward no. six (6) of Joynagar UP under Kalia upazil of Narail Sheikh Mosharref Hossan and reserved women member of ward no. three (3) of the same UP Roni Begum, member of ward no. nine (9) of Khaskaulia UP under Chouhali upazila of Sirajganj Md Rafiqul Islam, member of ward no. three (3) of Bagbati UP under sadar upazila of Sirajganj Md Al Amin Chowdhury and member of women reserved seat of ward no. seven, eight and nine (7,8 & 9) of the same UP Mosammat Ashia Khatun.
The LGRD & Co-operatives Ministry has so far temporarily suspended a total of 24 UP chairmen and members since April 12 until Monday, according to the ministry.
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