ACC sues four food officials over Tk 20.18m grain embezzlement

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, October 28, 2026

The Anti-Corruption Commission has filed a case against four Kurigram district food department officials for allegedly embezzling over Tk 20 million worth of government rice and paddy through falsified procurement and stock records. The investigation revealed significant shortages and undocumented grains, prompting ongoing efforts to recover the missing supplies and hold the accused accountable.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has initiated legal proceedings against four officials of the Kurigram district food department over the alleged embezzlement of government rice and paddy valued at more than Tk 20 million. The case, filed on Tuesday at the ACC’s Integrated District Office in Kurigram, centers on significant discrepancies identified at the Kurigram Sadar food warehouse during the 2025–26 fiscal year.

The accused officials include Md Sharif Ahmed, the in-charge of the Kurigram Sadar food warehouse; Md Helal Uddin, assistant sub-food inspector of Patgram LSD; Md Halimur Rahman, upazila food controller of Kurigram Sadar; and Mohammad Hamidul Haque, acting district food controller of Kurigram. According to ACC Deputy Director Akhtarul Islam, the investigation uncovered irregularities involving rice and paddy stocks, procurement records, and payments for grain that could not be physically verified in the warehouse.

An enforcement team inspected the Shishu Niketan and Khalilganj sections of the warehouse on January 11 this year, cross-checking physical stock against documentation such as stock cards, warehouse registers, and central ledgers. The inspection revealed a shortage of 42.205 metric tonnes of rice, valued at approximately Tk 2.46 million. Additionally, inconsistencies were found in the procurement of paddy: records indicated that 711 tonnes had been acquired during the fiscal year, with payment made for 240 tonnes; however, only 190 tonnes were physically present, leaving 50 tonnes unaccounted for.

Md Sharif Ahmed claimed the missing paddy had been sent for processing to M/s Elahi Auto Rice Mill, but when the ACC team later visited the facility, the mill owner, Md Mukul Sarkar, denied receiving any such delivery. Furthermore, the commission found no evidence supporting the existence of an additional 471 tonnes of paddy documented in warehouse files. Valued at Tk 34,000 per tonne, this discrepancy amounted to roughly Tk 16.01 million.

In a related finding, 119 tonnes of rice without valid supporting documentation were discovered near the western gate of warehouse No. SF–3 in the Shishu Niketan block. The rice, worth an estimated Tk 6.94 million, was seized on January 12 and secured under ACC custody. Md Sharif Ahmed failed to provide any records relating to procurement, weighing, quality control, storage, or transportation for the seized rice.

The ACC alleges that the four officials conspired to embezzle government food grains by manipulating procurement and stock records. The case has been filed under Sections 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust), and 109 (abetment) of the Penal Code, as well as Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. Additionally, Md Sharif Ahmed faces charges under Section 120B of the Penal Code related to the undocumented rice stock. The commission continues to investigate the matter as authorities work to recover the missing government resources.

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