Mizanur Rahman, Nagarkanda (Faridpur) 

Allegations of gross irregularities and supply shortages have surfaced during the distribution of government-allocated Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) rice intended for helpless and underprivileged families in the 8 No. Dangi Union of Faridpur's Nagarkanda upazila.

The special relief distribution drive ahead of the upcoming holy Eid-ul-Azha was conducted on Saturday, at the temporary office premises of the Dangi Union Parishad. 

Under the state-sponsored social safety-net directive, each listed beneficiary is entitled to receive exactly 10 kg of rice. However, multiple marginalized cardholders strongly alleged that the local distribution committee systematically shortchanged them by handing over underweight bags. A total of 555 enlisted underprivileged individuals were scheduled to receive the state relief across the union today.

During the distribution process, Dangi UP Chairman Kazi Abul Kalam was noticeably absent from the council premises.

When contacted via phone to address the growing public grievances, Chairman Kalam deflected administrative accountability. "I am currently away attending an invitation. The Tag Officer's representative is present on-site and supervising the distribution. Whether they deliver 10 kg or 11 kg is entirely their lookout," the Chairman stated.

Meanwhile, female UP Member Salma Jahan was observed on-site manually signing each distribution slip, a process local residents complained was causing extreme delays. Due to the Chairman's absence, thousands of distressed locals were forced to wait in long queues under grueling weather conditions for hours just to get their slips verified.

Witnesses reported that instead of using mandatory digital weighing scales, the handlers were rapidly measuring out the grain using arbitrary plastic buckets. Distressed beneficiaries alleged that they were routinely being handed around 9 kg 500 grams instead of their full statutory quota.

The scam became transparent when Jayanti Rani, wife of Parimal Mondal from Shriramdia village, took her allocated sack immediately after collection and re-weighed it on a trusted digital scale nearby. The official readout showed her bag contained only 9 kg 396 grams—short by over 600 grams of the government-mandated allocation.

Confronted with the discrepancies, Md. Jahangir Hossain, the representative of the government-appointed Tag Officer, admitted to lapses in monitoring. "Upon my initial arrival, I noticed that the rations were roughly 400 grams short per allotment. I strictly ordered the handlers to correct the weight before distribution. However, I had to step outside the venue briefly, and some irregularities may have occurred during that window," he conceded.

The government has earmarked 10 -kg of rice per head under the emergency VGF package to alleviate economic distress for impoverished families during the festive period. Local civil society members and affected villagers have demanded immediate, strict intervention from the upazila administration to ensure absolute transparency, digital weighing compliance, and severe legal action against the corrupt actors.