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Download PDF The VGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding) card programme for the affected people in the cyclone-torn areas in the district is in disarray as the card distribution process is riddled with massive irregularities.
Soon after Cyclone Sidr lashed the southern coast of the country, the government declared to bring all the affected populace of the region under the net of VGF.
However, the programme, under which one person from a family is eligible to receive a feeding card, is yet to bear any fruit. A large number of the residents alleged that they did not receive any card yet while multiple members from some of the families have received the cards.
Most people are pointing their finger at the local union parishad (UP) members who they claim are collecting money in exchange for inserting ineligible people’s names on the list of VGF card recipients.
The locals also alleged that the UP members are manipulating the list to include the names of their near ones.
On Sunday, during a field visit to Taherpur village under Nilganj Union Parishad in Kalapara upazila, this correspondent came across at least 50 villagers who claimed that they did not get any VGF card. Rice distribution to VGF cardholders was going on at that time on the premises of the union parishad.
Khalil Sarder, 52, a resident of the village, said, “I didn’t get a VGF card although my house has been totally destroyed.”
Rashid Mollah, 70, from the same village, said he did not get the card either.
The list grew longer as Ismail, 55, Latif Jomaddar, 50, and Maksuda Begum, 45, all from the neighbouring village of Mostaqpur, also complained that they were yet to receive the VGF card.
All of these affected people alleged that even though the VGF cards are supposed to be for the worst-affected victims of the cyclone, the people having close ties with the local UP members, especially their relatives, have received the cards.
Kamruzzaman, chairman of Nilganj UP, explained why some of the victims are being left out of the special feeding programme. “I need about 7,500 VGF cards for distribution, but the upazila administration gave me only 5,000. And this is why some eligible recipients are being deprived of the VGF programme.”
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) Abdul Malek, however, rebutted the UP chairman’s criticism, saying, “We have been distributing the VGF cards according to the demand.”
The local UP chairmen and members are distorting the fact and making all these accusations for political gains, Malek added.
Villagers under Angaria Union in Dumki upazila alleged that the local UP members are listing multiple members of a household to be the recipients of the VGF card.
Rafiq, Shanu and Gias Uddin, three brothers living in the household of their father Menaj Uddin at Rupashia village in Angaria Union, have been listed as recipients of the VGF card.
Names of Monjed Ali’s three sons — Siddiq, Rezaul and Shah Alam, who live with their father, have also been included on the list.
Local UP member Sekander has included their names on the list in exchange for money ranging from Tk 25 to Tk 50 from each, the villagers claimed.
Sanjoy Kumar, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Dumki, said, “We are verifying the VGF list turned in by local UP chairmen and members.”
DRRO Abdul Maleq said, “We are getting complaints against different UP chairmen and members for their involvement in irregularities in the VGF card distribution process. We are going to take action against them. They must be punished.”
Meanwhile on Saturday night, amid widespread allegations of irregularities in listing VGF card recipients and distribution of the cards, joint forces arrested five UP members of two union parishads under Patuakhali Sadar Upazila.
They are Zakir Hossain and Eskandar Ali of Badarpur Union Parishad, Khokon Hawlader, Mainul Islam alias Zia and Nurul Haq of Bara Bighai Union Parishad.
Sources at Patuakhali Sadar Police Station said the five UP members were arrested for violation of rules as they have distributed the VGF cards to more than one person of a family and manipulated the recipients’ list to include names of their close ones.
Kohinur Begum, sadar upazila project implementation officer, filed two separate cases with the Patuakhali Sadar Police Station on Sunday against the arrestees.
“We will take legal action against the UP members after investigation,” said Delwar Hossain, officer in charge of the police station.
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