Sr. Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :
There have been allegations of embezzlement of more than 100 tons of rice allocated by Deputy Commissioner ( DC) by showing a list of 64 temples and organizations in Kishoreganj.
The phone number of none of the organizations except one was given next to the name in the list. After the puja was over, this fake list of temples and organizations in Kishoreganj Sadar was given to the District Administration . Through this, rice worth tk.40 lakhs.
According to the District Puja Celebration Council, Durga Puja was organized in 365 temples and mandap in the district. The government allocates half a ton of rice for each puja through the district administration. The temple or mandap-based committees harvest this rice before the puja. But rice is not given to any separate organization except the temple or mandap committee for the puja.
The list of allocations is sent from the District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRP) of Kishoreganj, the respective Upazila Project Implementation Officer ( UPIO). Rice is lifted from there. But after the puja, a list of 64 temples and organizations in Kishoreganj Sadar has been given to the District Administration . Although the list has only 15 temple names, there are 49 organizations including Sri Sri Radhakrishna Sampradaya, Bangladesh Chhatra Ganajagaran Mancha, Sri Sri Shyama Sangha, Harijan Samaj Kalyan Sangha. Sources said that there is no organization with these names.
The list shows that a total of 100 tons of 500 kg of rice has been allocated. Next to the name of each temple and organization, one ton to two tons of rice has been allocated. It has been seen that one temple has been allocated one ton and one organization has been allocated two tons. However, during the puja, only 500 kg of rice was given to each temple and mandap! After the puja was completed, the question has arisen as to why each temple and organisation was given double or quadruple rice. Some leaders and rice traders of the Hindu community have said that this rice is sold in the market at a price of 40 thousand taka per ton. Accordingly, a total of Tk 40,20000 rice has been raised. Out of this, some money has been given to two or four temples and organizations by keeping the information about the rice secret and saying that it is a financial donation. It is believed that the remaining Tk 40 lakh taka embezzled.
