Dhunat UNO under fire over date-expired relief goods

The official residence of Sanjay Kumar Mahant, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Dhunat in Bogura, has been the centre of controversy after he handed over 221 sacks of date-expired government relief supplies for distribution.

The allegedly rotten relief goods were from the 2021 "Prime Minister's Gift." Before leaving his office on Thursday, the UNO handed them over to Upazila Chairman and Awami League leader Abdul Hai Khokon.

On March 7, the UNO was transferred from Bogura's Dhunat upazila to Rajshahi's Godagari upazila, according to the upazila administration.

His final day of work at Dhunat Upazila was last Thursday, April 6th.

Around 3pm on that day, workers from the UNO's official residence delivered 221 sacks of food to Abdul Hai Khokon, the upazila chairman.

When the situation came to light, political figures and members of the media gathered at the upazila chairman's residence.

The high-ranking government official has been criticized for wasting government relief supplies intended for distribution.

The relief supplies, which included rice, lentil, salt, oil, flattened rice, noodles, sugar, turmeric, pepper, and coriander powder, were found to be expired and inedible upon inspection.

The aid came from the Ministry of Disaster Management and was dated July 7, 2021.

According to Upazila Chairman Abdul Hai Khokon, UNO Sanjay Kumar handed over relief items in his official residence with labourers on the last working day and provided an allocation letter dated July 25, 2022, signed by then Deputy Commissioner Ziaul Haque.

The UNO said the relief goods had been allocated three months ago and that some of them had already been distributed. Because of his relocation, the remaining relief goods were transferred to the upazila chairman. He refused to comment further.

Bogra District Commissioner Md Saiful Islam explained that it was not UNO's residence, but rather a temporary store house run by the upazila administration.

He said that a probe committee has been formed, and that if there is any negligence is found, action will be taken against those in question.