Food official suspended for import irregularities

Action after ‘The Independent’ carries a report on the scam

The Directorate of Food (DoF) has suspended Zahirul Islam, Chattogram district controller of food (DCF), recently for embezzling Tk. 7.04 crore involving the import of3,353 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat from Russia in 2017. The suspension order has been issued by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Food Ministry, which launched an investigation into the matter.

The suspension letter was issued by Shahabuddin Ahmed, secretary to the the food ministry. On January 5 this year, The Independent published a news report titled “Wheat vanishes from Chittagong port”, exposing the corruption. Zahirul Islam served as the DCF and controller of movement and storage (additional duty) from December 2013 to September 10 this year. He was later transferred to Gaibandha in September as the DCF. He served there before being suspended on October 7 this year.

In October last year, the DoF had imported the wheat by three vessels—MV River Globe Globe, MV Spar Virgo and MV Dubai Knight. Of the total quantity, 61,536 MT was unloaded at the outer anchorage of the Chattogram Port and sent to the Naryanaganj silo by lighter ships in November 2017.

However, the Narayanganj silo received only 58,182.930 MT, while the rest went missing.

As per the report of The Independent, the wheat was illegally unloaded at the outer anchorage without any insurance coverage, even though insurance was mandatory for transporting goods. Moreover, Zahirul Islam unloaded the wheat at the outer anchorage without any pre-declared schedule and sent it to Narayanganj, flouting the rules of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the exporters.

Usually, the Dhaka office of the DoF announces a pre-schedule to transport DoF goods from one silo or depot to another. But, no pre-schedule was declared in this case for carrying the food grains.

After the incident came to light, the DCF was trying to cover up the issue by raising an altogether different point. He claimed that the total amount of wheat, which was supposed to have arrived by the three ships, did not arrive.

But The Independent revealed that the DCF had submitted three bills of entries from MV Spar Virgo for 30,612 MT of wheat supplied by Agro Crops International Pte Ltd of Singapore, from MV River Globe for 31,045 MT supplied by Aston FF1 SA, and from MV Dubai Knight for 31,500 MT supplied by Aston FF1 SA.

It was alleged that senior DoF officials were ‘managed’ to make light of the issue and they did not take any action.

Food official suspended for import irregularities

Action after The Independent carries a report on the scam

The Directorate of Food (DoF) has suspended Zahirul Islam, Chattogram district controller of food (DCF), recently for embezzling Tk. 7.04 crore involving the import of3,353 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat from Russia in 2017. The suspension order has been issued by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Food Ministry, which launched an investigation into the matter. The suspension letter was issued by Shahabuddin Ahmed, secretary to the the food ministry. On January 5 this year, The Independent published a news report titled Wheat vanishes from Chittagong port, exposing the corruption. Zahirul Islam served as the DCF and controller of movement and storage (additional duty) from December 2013 to September 10 this year. He was later transferred to Gaibandha in September as the DCF. He served there before being suspended on October 7 this year. In October last year, the DoF had imported the wheat by three vesselsMV River Globe Globe, MV Spar Virgo and MV Dubai Knight. Of the total quantity, 61,536 MT was unloaded at the outer anchorage of the Chattogram Port and sent to the Naryanaganj silo by lighter ships in November 2017. However, the Narayanganj silo received only 58,182.930 MT, while the rest went missing. As per the report of The Independent, the wheat was illegally unloaded at the outer anchorage without any insurance coverage, even though insurance was mandatory for transporting goods. Moreover, Zahirul Islam unloaded the wheat at the outer anchorage without any pre-declared schedule and sent it to Narayanganj, flouting the rules of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the exporters. Usually, the Dhaka office of the DoF announces a pre-schedule to transport DoF goods from one silo or depot to another. But, no pre-schedule was declared in this case for carrying the food grains. After the incident came to light, the DCF was trying to cover up the issue by raising an altogether different point. He claimed that the total amount of wheat, which was supposed to have arrived by the three ships, did not arrive. But The Independent revealed that the DCF had submitted three bills of entries from MV Spar Virgo for 30,612 MT of wheat supplied by Agro Crops International Pte Ltd of Singapore, from MV River Globe for 31,045 MT supplied by Aston FF1 SA, and from MV Dubai Knight for 31,500 MT supplied by Aston FF1 SA. It was alleged that senior DoF officials were managed to make light of the issue and they did not take any action.