Banshkhali, Chattogram: The upazila administration has seized 450kg of rice allocated under the government’s Food-Friendly Programme from a grocery shop in Banshkhali, Chattogram. The shop belongs to Mohammad Yahia, the brother-in-law of local BNP leader and food programme dealer Rashid Ahmed. Yahia was fined Tk 1,000, while the administration announced the cancellation of Rashid Ahmed’s dealership licence.
The seizure followed a raid on Kamrunnahar Store in the Rohai Para area of Ward No. 2 in West Pui Chhari, Pui Chhari Union, at around 5pm on Tuesday, 20 October. The operation was led by Mohammad Tamzidur Rahman Tanmoy, assistant commissioner (land) and executive magistrate of Banshkhali Upazila. Police, local representatives and village police members assisted in the operation.
During the raid, officials recovered nine sacks of rice, each weighing 50kg, bringing the total quantity seized to 450kg. The rice was allocated under the government’s Food-Friendly Programme, which aims to provide rice at subsidised prices to low-income households.
Yahia, 36, son of the late Mofizur Rahman, told officials that he had purchased the rice from his brother-in-law, Rashid Ahmed. Following the seizure, Yahia was fined Tk 1,000 and released after providing a written undertaking.
Rashid Ahmed is the president of the BNP’s Ward No. 2 unit in Pui Chhari Union. He also served as a dealer responsible for distributing rice under the government programme.
Based on information provided by Yahia, the administration planned to search Messrs Chittagong Store, which is owned by Rashid Ahmed. However, according to sources familiar with the operation, Rashid left the premises after learning about the raid. No further details about a search of his shop were immediately available.
Mohammad Riduowan, a member of Pui Chhari Union Parishad, said local residents had long reported that government-supplied rice was being sold at the shop.
He said they visited the location under the leadership of the union parishad chairman after receiving the complaints. According to Riduowan, they found evidence supporting the allegations.
Rashid Ahmed, however, offered a different perspective on the issue. He said Banshkhali had 32 dealers under the programme, with two appointed in each union. He claimed that collecting rice from warehouses and distributing it to beneficiaries cost around Tk 30,000.
“Given these expenses, what is wrong with selling some of the rice to cover the costs?” he asked, defending his position.
However, government rice distributed under the Food-Friendly Programme is intended for designated beneficiaries and must be handled in accordance with the programme’s rules. Whether the dealer’s actions violated the applicable regulations remains a matter for the relevant authorities to establish through the appropriate procedures.
Mohammad Selim Helali, Banshkhali’s upazila food officer, said allegations that Rashid Ahmed had previously sold government rice on the open market had also been reported.
He said the latest operation had provided evidence supporting the allegations and that the authorities would take the necessary legal action against the dealer.
Mohammad Tamzidur Rahman Tanmoy, the assistant commissioner (land) and executive magistrate who led the raid, confirmed that Yahia had been fined Tk 1,000 for storing and selling rice from the government programme at his shop. He also stated that the dealer’s licence had been cancelled.
The incident has raised concerns about the monitoring of subsidised food distribution at the local level. The Food-Friendly Programme is intended to help low-income households obtain essential food supplies at affordable prices. The unauthorised resale or diversion of allocated rice can undermine that objective and potentially deprive eligible families of their intended benefits.
Ensuring accountability in the distribution process, verifying the source of seized supplies and taking appropriate action against any proven irregularities remain essential to protecting public resources and ensuring that government assistance reaches its intended recipients.
