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Parliamentary probe unearthed fraud in rice import |
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September 25, 2000
Dhaka (UNB) – A parliamentary probe unearthed a fraud in rice import and fiction about the missing of a ship carrying the consignment. On the basis of the findings, the Parliamentary Standing on Food Ministry yesterday (Sunday) recommended “stern action” against the fraudulent suppliers and ministry’s officials concerned “It was nothing but a high drama,” said one of the members of the JS body about stark findings about the mysterious missing of the ship, MV Hafina, on way from India to Chittagong seaport. “There is no ship named MV Hafina anywhere in the world,” a sub-committee of the Parliamentary Standing on Food Ministry, formed for the inquiry, revealed through its investigation. The probe committee, which also found the exporting firm spurious, blamed negligence of some top officials of the ministry for this misdeed. According to manipulated information MV Hafina with 12,000 metric tons of rice reportedly disappeared on its way to Chittagong port in November 1998. Reports said the Ministry of Food had purchased the rice from an Indian firm, Ramesh Kumar and Co, through an international tender. The sub-committee during its investigation revealed that there was no existence of such company and the local agents also have been hiding since then. Mirza Azam MP as its head the subcommittee was constituted to probe into the incidents of missing of MV Hafina and supply of substandard rice that was reached by another ship to Chittagong. Reviewing the report submitted by the sub-committee, the Standing Committee in its meeting yesterday decided to place the report before the House in next session. Presided over by its chairman Md Abdul Hakim, the meeting recommended stern action against the concerned officials blamed for the scandal. It also discussed allegation of corruption and mismanagement in purchasing rice without any allotment letters by one top official of the Ministry and suggested action against the scam. The meeting also suggested taking measure to change the process of giving husking allotment to rice mills from divisional level to thana level to ensure more transparency. Members of the committee Food Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Dr Alauddin Ahmed, Mirza Azam, Srimati Bharati Nandi (Sarkar), Md Joynul Abedin and Prof Md Shajahan were present in the meeting. Deputy Minister for Food Dhirendra Nath Shambu also attended the meeting on special invitation. |