Serious allegations of irregularities and corruption have emerged in the appointment of OMS (Open Market Sale) dealers in the northern and southern areas of Dhaka Metropolitan City. Many applications were reportedly disregarded to favor preferred candidates. Complaints indicate that applications were manipulated—accepted at different centers than requested—and multiple applications under relatives’ names for the same person were accepted. It is alleged that a syndicate led by Jahangir Alam, Chief Controller of Dhaka Rationing and a close associate of former Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar, orchestrated these fraudulent dealings through unethical transactions.

The victims claim that at least 43 dealers were awarded licenses without competition through these manipulations, with fees ranging from Tk500,000 to 700,000 per person. Many of these individuals have been accused in cases of fascist activity and were previously arrested by law enforcement for allegedly embezzling OMS rice.

Written complaints regarding the matter have been submitted by the victims to the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Ministry of Food, and the office of the Divisional Commissioner of Dhaka, who also chairs the dealer appointment committee.

Yesterday, Sunday, the victims staged a human chain in front of the Dhaka Rationing Office and organized a protest at the Ministry of Food. They demanded a fresh lottery for dealer selection, carried out transparently.

Meanwhile, a five-member committee, headed by a Dhaka Divisional Commissioner, has been formed to investigate the allegations. The committee includes representatives from both Dhaka City Corporations, the Dhaka Regional Food Controller, and Dhaka Rationing. They have been asked to submit their report within seven working days.

The Divisional Commissioner of Dhaka and head of the dealer appointment committee, Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, confirmed the authenticity of the allegations. On Sunday, he told Kaler Kantho, “We have received written complaints regarding irregularities and corruption. We held an urgent meeting and formed a five-member investigation committee headed by an Additional Divisional Commissioner. Appropriate actions will be taken based on their report. No guilty party will be spared.”

It is reported that for the past 15 years, OMS dealership appointments across Dhaka and other parts of the country have largely gone to leaders and activists of the Awami League and its allied organizations. Although some fled after the July uprising, they could not be removed at the time due to legal complications. The government has now initiated a process to appoint new OMS dealers nationwide. Committees were formed in each division under the Divisional Commissioner, with administrative support from the divisional rationing chief.

Following this, a lottery for dealer appointments in Dhaka was held on September 29 at the Engineers’ Institution (IEB) building in Ramna. However, instead of issuing prior written notices as per regulations, only selected dealers were invited via SMS, which was treated as the gate pass. Many eligible candidates did not receive the SMS and protested their exclusion. They questioned why not all applicants were informed about the lottery, why only mobile messages were used, and why there was no publicity through newspapers, official notices, or notice boards. Media personnel present at the time also protested when the head of the appointment committee, Divisional Commissioner Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, did not approve the final documents. He promptly informed the officials of the Directorate of Food about the matter.

Investigations revealed that Jahangir Alam, Chief Controller of Dhaka Rationing (CCDR), is a trusted aide of former Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar and has been working in this office for many years. In 2022, allegations of corruption were made against him, leading to his transfer to the position of Regional Food Controller (RC Food) in Barisal. Six months later, he returned to the same position, reportedly facilitated by Sadhan Chandra Majumdar’s son-in-law Abu Nasir Beg, which violated the Food Department’s transfer policies. Upon returning to Dhaka Rationing, he established a syndicate with several officials. Its members include Sadhan Chandra Majumdar’s cashier and Toufayel Ahmed’s trusted Area Rationing Officer (ARO) Taufiq Elahi, former Eden College Chhatra League leader Lina Ahmed, relative of former Awami League MP Mashraffi Bin Mortuza, Gopalganj Chhatra League leader Mamun Hossain, and Shamim Ahmed, nephew of Sheikh Hasina’s special assistant agriculturist Moshiur Rahman Humayun. Even after the July uprising, key members of Sadhan’s syndicate were primarily involved in dealer appointments. CCDR Jahangir Alam also serves as the member secretary of the appointment committee.

Victims claim that 43 people received dealer licenses without a lottery. They allege that rationing officials exploited corruption to facilitate these appointments and unfairly excluded many applicants. They demand that all applicants’ names be publicly listed and drawn transparently.

However, these allegations have been denied by CCDR Jahangir Alam, member secretary of the appointment committee and Chief Controller of Dhaka Rationing. He told Kaler Kantho, “I am one of the officers who have been deprived over the past 15 years. No irregularities have occurred in dealer appointments. Rationing officials have performed their duties properly. Yet, written complaints have been submitted to the appointment committee and various other offices. Therefore, a five-member investigation committee has been formed under the leadership of a Divisional Commissioner to verify all applications. The final decision will be made based on their report.”