Meanwhile, District Food Controller Moetasemur Rahman has been transferred to the Regional Food Controller’s office in Dhaka due to allegations of irregularities, corruption, and negligence in supervision. Investigation sources reveal that paddy was being procured at the Birishiri LSD warehouse under the District Food Controller’s verbal instructions, in blatant disregard of the ‘Internal Paddy Procurement Policy-2017’. Paddy was procured from a dishonest syndicate using only National ID (NID) cards, without verification by the Department of Agriculture or identification of genuine farmers.

The investigation team found evidence that payments were made for paddy purchased multiple times in the same person’s name by exploiting flaws in the registered list. Mehedi Islam was suspended on August 31 via a notification signed by Anirban Bhadra, Deputy Director (Establishment) of the Directorate General of Food. To ensure an impartial investigation, his prior transfer order to Barishal was cancelled, and he was placed under temporary suspension. In accordance with regulations, he will receive a subsistence allowance during the suspension period.

Separately, due to a lack of proper supervision, District Food Controller Moetasemur Rahman was transferred to the Dhaka Regional Food Controller’s office as the Acting Assistant Regional Food Controller, per an order signed by Md. Mahabur Rahman Sheikh, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Food, on September 9. Speaking to the media last Saturday (September 12), Moetasemur Rahman confirmed the matter but claimed it was merely a “routine administrative transfer.” Irregularities involving government rice and food grains are nothing new in Netrokona, a district that has seen a recurring pattern of food-related scandals.

This year alone, the administration and law enforcement agencies seized 25 tonnes of government rice in Madan Upazila while it was being smuggled—specifically, 20 tonnes on May 14 and 5 tonnes on September 4. Additionally, on June 21 of last year, the army seized 13,515 kilograms of government rice during a raid in Kendua. According to sources within the Ministry of Food and the Directorate of Food, departmental investigations have been intensified to identify other members of the syndicate involved in fraud related to paddy procurement.