Last Thursday was fixed for distribution of rice against VGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding) cards in Itakhola, Ramnagar Kundopukur and Charaikhola unions in the Sadar upzila.

At Itakhola, when distribution of VGF rice was going on, hundreds of deprived people were seen staging a demonstration. They made several attempts to enter the Union Parishad by breaking the security cordon. But the UP chairman's musclemen stopped them by force.

Talking to this correspondent, some of the demonstrators alleged that the chairman sold 200 VGF cards out of 500 to VGF card traders.

Octogenarian Gilo Begum of Singdoi village alleged that she went to UP chairman for a VGF card but UP member Surot Ali drove her away.

In late afternoon, the agitated people got hold of six sacks of VGF rice which were being taken from the distribution centre to an undisclosed place. But a Gram Sarkar member Kaosar of Ward No. 4 intervened and took away the sacks.

UP member Mominur and the Gram Sarkar member had hot exchange of words at the corridor of the UP office over alleged sharing VGF rice.

Additional Secretary Badiur Rahman of relief ministry is in Nilphamari to oversee the relief operation.

He said it is impossible for one person to check irregularities.