Shamim (Kurigram) Correspondent:
In Kurigram, an allegation has been made against a former
upazila social service officer of embezzling the beggar's money and excluding
the living person from the list of allowance beneficiaries. However, the former
upazila social service officer denied the complaint and demanded to comply with
the rules.
It can be seen on the surface, Sabita Rani,
daughter of deceased Nagen Chandra Pal of Shyampur village, near the bank of
Brahmaputra river in Hatia union of Kurigram Ulipur upazila. As there is no
land, he is living alone in a tiny house in a betel nut garden. Savita Rani's
land deposits were all. But everything ended when husband Shashi Mohan was
diagnosed with cancer. Her husband has been dead for about ten years. After
that, he married two daughters and lived independently. He lives by begging and
working in other people's houses. The same is the case with Neighbor Dead:
Manik Chandra Pal's wife Rosy Rani. A husband with kidney disease and an only
daughter died of a brain tumor several years ago. The land that was there was
sold for medical treatment and is now self-sufficient. Now he spends his days
by begging in two tin houses on a century of land.
Ashirdhbo Golenur, daughter of the deceased
Gahar of Nayagram of the same union, was getting a widow's allowance since
2008. But she was removed from the list of widow benefits about two and a half
years ago after she was found dead. Since then he contacted the upazila social
service office but could not include his name. Although he is still alive in
reality, he is dead on paper.
Widow
Anwara Bewa, a resident of Hatia Bhabesh village of that union, is alive, but
she is now dead in the widow allowance list of Upazila Social Services. As a
result, he has been deprived of allowance for almost two years. The
beneficiaries did not get any result after contacting the office in this
regard. It is alleged that the former upazila social service officer has
committed such irregularities in exchange for a huge amount.
According to the investigation, in the financial year
2019-20 upazila social service beggar rehabilitation and alternative employment
project, 18 beggars were allotted 14 thousand 2 lakh 52 thousand taka per
person. Among them Sahib Alga Union - 7 people, Daldalia Union - 4 people,
Hatia Union - 3 people, Dhammadhar Union - 3 people and Gunaigach Union - 1
people. In addition, about half a hundred living persons of the upazila have
been removed from the list of allowance beneficiaries, showing them as dead.
They are Sabita Rani of Hatia Union and Rozina Rani, Mujibur
Rahman, son of late Tamez Uddin of Ward No. 8 of Sonari Para. Hachena Begum is
the daughter of Hasen Ali of Ward No. 8 of Kathalbari village of Gunaigach
Union. Chamchul Huda, son of Ibrahim of Ward No. 9 of North Vijayaram village
of Dhammadhare union, Baritan Begum, daughter of Barkat Ali of Vijay Tabakpur
village of that ward, Nuruzzaman son of Panir Uddin of Panchpara village of
West Darichar of Ward No. 8. Jamiran Nescha, daughter of Madhu Molla of Saheber
Alga village, Ward No. 2 of Saheb Alga Union, Tarip Jan, daughter of Sonavan of
Ward No. 4, Sona Ullya daughter Saheera Khatun, Batasi Begum daughter of Char
Chabed Ali of North Namazir of Ward No. 5, Ramecha Khatun daughter of Jehat,
Shahera Khatun daughter of Neshab Uddin, Osman Gani's daughter Sukurjan Begum.
Nurjahan Begum of Ashraf Uddin of North Daldalia village of Ward No. 6 of
Daldalia Union, Achma Khatun daughter of Basharat of Kuti village of Saheb,
Hazir Uddin son of Amir Uddin of Miyaji Para of Ward No. 5 and Kachuani Begum
daughter of Ketab Uddin.
Despite being named in the list of beggar rehabilitation and
alternative employment schemes, neither money nor assistance came to their
fate.Savita
Rani said; I have not received any money from the upazila social service
office. I do not know who named the list. I spend my days begging. How can I
find the money?
Pink Rani said, several years ago, a boy named
Nayan came and took my phone number and voter ID from the upazila social
service office about giving a donation of five thousand taka. A few days later
a blanket was passed without paying. Also I didn't get any money.
Neighbor Vijay said, Savita and Golapai Rani
are very innocent. If they get any grant or help from anywhere we can know. But
he confirmed that the beggar rehabilitation and alternative employment project
did not receive any financial support from Upazila Social Services.
Golenur Bewa, who is entitled to widow's
allowance, said, "I have started getting an allowance of two and a half
hundred taka from July 2008 but after almost two and a half years, that
allowance has stopped. After checking the office, I came to know that the
allowance has been stopped as I am dead. After spending a lot of money and
running around, I could not get the allowance.
Ulipur Upazila Social Service Officer Lutfar Rahman said,
admitting to receiving oral complaints of not getting money from beggars and
omitting the names of many living people who are entitled to allowance, he said
that no one has filed a written complaint in this regard. I will report the
matter to my superior authority if I make a written complaint.
However, denying all the allegations, former
Upazila Social Service Officer Moshiur Rahman said that many people's names
have been removed from the list and changed due to not being able to register
online on time. Also, regarding the non-receipt of the beggar's money, he said,
at that time, he was transferred to another place before the distribution of
the money, after a meeting was held with the people's representatives including
the upazila executive officer.
The investigation also shows that former upazila social service officer Moshiur Rahman first joined Ulipur upazila on July 1, 2019. Later, when he was arrested by Rangpur RAB-13 with drugs in 2021, he was dismissed on December 15 of the same year. Then on June 21, 2022, he assumed responsibility again in his own capacity. Later he was transferred to Saghata Upazila of Gaibandha district on November 14 that year.
DCT/OL/SMKN/END
