The concerned authorities have finally decided to change the adulterated rice. The decision was taken after an hour-long meeting with local MP Prof MA Matin, UNO Bipul Kumar, municipal mayor Mamun Sarkar and food department officials at the municipal mayor's office around 2.30pm on Thursday.
he food department will provide good rice by returning the rotten and foul smelling rice. Samples of rotten rice will also be collected and re-investigated by an expert team, meeting sources said.
It is learned that last Monday afternoon (July 4), the Ulipur Food Department supplied 30.61 metric tons of rice allocated for Ulipur Municipality. When these rice reached the municipality by tractor, some sacks of rice were put in the warehouse. In the meanwhile, the issue of rotten and smelly inedible rice came to the notice of the municipal authorities. Later he went to pick rice sacks and saw that different types of rice had been provided. Catching fungus in a sack of rice, smelling foul in a sack. Besides, there were two types of stitches in the mouths of rice sacks. Hand and machine sewing. In this situation, Municipal Mayor Mamun Sarkar informed the concerned authorities including the food warehouse officer. Later, food warehouse officer Shahinur Rahman went to the municipality and promised to change the bad rice, but it did not work.
On that day (Monday) evening, the technical team of the food department came and investigated and verbally admitted that the rice was rotten and smelly, but later denied it for mysterious reasons.
Meanwhile, the Food Department and the Rice Traders' Syndicate are working to cover up the incident. After three days of this incident, after a lot of drama, it was decided to change the rotten and smelly rice on Thursday (July 8) at half past noon.
According to a source, the Ulipur food warehouse official was supposed to collect the rice by sorting it through local millers. But instead of doing so, the officer allegedly embezzled lakhs of rupees by collecting rice from outside at a price lower than the official price through a syndicate. This Eid, the rice was supplied as VGF's rice, which caused a stir.
On the other hand, some UP chairmen, while removing VGF rice from food warehouses, have expressed reluctance to distribute the rice as it is unfit for human consumption and of poor quality. Some chairmen along with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer have also made written and verbal complaints about this. Distribution at the union level began on Thursday after assurances of bad rice change later.
In this regard, Upazila Food Controller Misbahul Hossain said, the moisture is purified more because the rice has been close to the floor under the khamal for a long time. As a result, the rice fades.
Municipal Mayor Mamun Sarkar Mithu said that as per the decision of the meeting, he wanted to give good rice by changing the rotten and smelly rice. Most of the sacks will be sealed and kept in the custody of the police station. The mayor added that although the investigation team verbally admitted that the rice was rotten and smelly, it later took on a mysterious role. The investigation report given by the district food regulator will be rejected.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Bipul Kumar said it has been decided to change these rice to distribute VGF rice among the beneficiaries before Eid.
In this regard, MP MA Matin said, the mayor's allegation is true. These rice are not suitable for eating. However, it has been decided to change these rice to deliver VGF rice to the needy before Eid.