DHAKA: Reckless irregularities were detected in rationing rice through the Open Market Sale (OMS), an emergency market intervention by the government to provide essentials to the poor, especially in this Islamic religious month of Ramadan.

Organised gangs were buying the rice of OMS applying variegated techniques with the help of dealers, their associates and government-appointed food inspectors, people said during a spot survey.

Reporters of banglanews24.com.bd have kept a close eye on the OMS operation by the government-appointed dealers and found evidences of widespread malpractice.

Rice for OMS has been on sale in different wholesale markets, including Badamtoli. banglanews24.com.bd photojournalist Jibon Amir took photographs of the misdeed from Badamtoli.  

Faking names, the thugs withdraw the rice at random from dealers in Green Road, Banglamotor, Plassey and Azimpur Chhapra Mosque areas.

The banglanews24.com.bd correspondent also took photos when racketeers were faking fingerprints and signatures for rice.

The scenario was the same in Green Road, Azimpur Chhapra Mosque and Palashi Bazar areas.  

The crowds for OMS rice in city`s different points were thin, but the sellers were withdrawing rice with fake fingerprints and signatures.

When contacted, Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr Abdur Razzak told banglanews24.com.bd that they would strengthen the monitoring system to prevent such irregularities immediately.

"Some unscrupulous dealers might have taken the chance as the demand for OMS rice was low," Razzak claimed.    
 
However, overseeing the sales by the government was not evident.

In all the places, the distribution trucks were surrounded the thugs who were withdrawing the rice to cash in on the provisions for the poor.

When asked, they said they were neither dealers’ men nor government-appointed helpers.

In Green Road, a man was seen take a sack of OMS rice. When asked, he introduced himself as Nur Alam, a staffer of a private organization, RS Corporation.

"Some 40 people are working here and our owner of RS Corporation arranged this OMS rice for us," he added.

Present on the spot, Liton Kumar Roy, a Food Sub-Inspector, rebuked Nur Alam and asked him to keep mum.

"I went to take tea and someone might have given him the sack by mistake," replied Liton as he was asked why Nur Alam was given a sack.

At Plassey bazar, there was none to buy but the seller seen writing fake names.

Joy Krisno Gupta, a Food Inspector, told banglanews24.com.bd that he was alone overseeing Chhapra Mosque and Plassey Bazar areas.

"The irregularities might have occurred behind my eyes," he said.

At Bangla Motor, a man named Kabir was found writing names of fake buyers and giving fingerprints of his own at his sweet will.

It was seen on the wholesale market at Badamtoli that the OMS rice was sold in broad daylight with the seal of OMS on the sack.

BDST:  2030 HRS, AUGUST 18, 2010