The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mamunur Rashid

The law enforcers found at least 500 policemen involved in corruption with the rationing system at the Riot Police Barracks at Mirpur.

Source said at least 5,000 riot policemen are housed in two barracks at Mirpur. Some 2,500 policemen each live in the North and South zones. Every policeman, like other law enforcers, was entitled to receive Government food ration.

It was learnt that in July the law enforcers found one police constable had demanded ration for one child just after three months of his marriage. The police authority investigated into the matter and found out at least 210 cops of the South Barracks were drawing ration for their unborn children from the Government.

In the North Barracks over 200 policemen were collecting monthly ration in the same way.

Source said most of the recently married policemen were lifting food ration showing children in their families.

According to the Government rule one policeman will get two units of ration after his/her marriage and one unit more after the birth of their first child and one unit more after two children. When unmarried police personnel gets one unit per month. The highest is four units for a family.

Many of the cops, in connivance with the police administration, submit application for ration from the Government for children either born or not. The applicants even show their nieces or nephews as their children to avail of the highly sought after government ration.

Source said that the monthly ration for cops per unit contains rice 10 kg, wheat 10 kg, soyabean oil three litre, sugar two kg, vegetable ghee 500 gm milk powder two kg and a hunk of fire wood for only Tk 29.

A single unit police ration is worth at least Tk 1,500 in the open market.

The Detective Branch of Police, which is conducting the investigations, found countrywide corruption with the rationing system. The DB will submit its report within a short time.

A senior police officer unwilling to disclose his name told the New Nation that no body could take ration submitting fake documents. From now on birth certificates of children will be necessary for taking ration against their wards.

The Deputy Commissioner of Mirpur South Zone Anwar Hossain told the New Nation that all those found guilty would face departmental proceedings and will also have to return the money thus illegally drawn from the police authority.