Good initiative mess

The Prime Minister announced TK 2,500 for the helpless unemployed people affected by the Corona. This initiative starts with a combination of mistakes. It is getting late for the Prime Minister's 'Eid gift' to reach the affected people. The reason for this is the irregularities and nepotism of the local people's representatives and negligence in the preparation of the list.

Last Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Tk 1,250 crore program. The money is supposed to reach the mobile phones of the identified victims after the inauguration. But after the inauguration, irregularities in the list of different areas, incidents like enrollment of many people with the same mobile number came up. The list also includes well-to-do individuals, political party leaders, and other beneficiaries. There were also protests against the people's representatives for making irregularities on the list. The local administration has also started an investigation into irregularities in various places.

According to the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management, the same number has been used next to at least 16 percent of the names. The ministry has taken alternative measures after identifying it. However, it is said that no number will be credited more than once. So even if the number is given more than once, the money will go only once. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has instructed to revise the list and send it again as there are reports of irregularities in various places.

The deputy commissioners have been directed to send the revised list yesterday. Some lists have the same mobile number more than once, so instructions have been given to correct the list. The money will then be sent to the accounts of the beneficiaries. Apart from the Prime Minister sending money to some mobile banking accounts, the money was not sent to the accounts of other beneficiaries.

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman told the media that it was not done for embezzlement. The list also has the same mobile number 200 times. This is because the mobile numbers of those who have been listed have been repeatedly placed next to the names of those whose mobile numbers were not found during the listing.

The ICT department has verified that 15-18 percent of the beneficiaries on the list has used the same mobile number. He said it is not possible to send money like this now. Because once you send money to a mobile number, the system will not allow you to send money to that number anymore. He said the government would open bank accounts for those who do not have mobile phones and send money there.

A letter from the ministry seeking a revised list said, "The guidelines for providing cash assistance to 5 million families affected by the Corona in Mujib's year include floating people, construction workers, public transport workers, restaurant workers, peddlers, railway porters, laborers, wharf workers, humanitarian assistance including hairdressers, day laborers, rickshaw/van drivers, and lower-middle-class people who earn their livelihood on daily income is to provide guidance on how to include these populations. The list needs to be finalized to include those who have been left out.

Protests: The same mobile number has been used 200 times in the list of six and a half thousand families in Lakhai Upazila of Habiganj district. There are also names of many rich people and relatives of people's representatives. As a result of irregularities, the real poor and helpless are in danger of being deprived of incentives. Six thousand 620 families in six unions of Lakhai Upazila are getting government financial assistance of two and a half thousand in cash.

Deprived victims of the union have protested after the irregularities were exposed. The local administration, however, has promised to investigate the incident. In this regard, Habiganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kamrul Hasan said, there were some inconsistencies in the verification and selection. An investigation has been started into these matters.

A UP member has committed the same incident at Sharankhola in Bagerhat. He added his mobile number next to the names of 40 people. Not only that, but the list of Sharankhola Upazila also includes the names of Chowkidars, various government beneficiaries, and well-to-do people.
The Upazila Nirbahi Officer has given a notice to the irregular UP member to show cause.

Similarly, 12,600 poor people in 14 unions of Kushtia's Daulatpur Upazila are expected to receive cash. In this regard, the names of the extremely poor, day laborers, poor people who have become unemployed due to corona have been omitted and the names of the rich and wealthy have been included in the list.