Local administration today arrested a union parishad (UP) member along with 1.59 metric tons of relief rice meant for Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme at Kuchaipotti Union Parishad in Shariatpur's Goshairhat upazila.

The arrestee, Mofassar Bepari, is a ward member of Kuchaipotti Union Parishad, reports our correspondent quoting Md Alomgir Hossain, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Goshairhat.

UNO Alomgir said some 27.68 metric tons of VGF rice had been allocated to 692 fishermen in Kuchaipotti union, where each fisherman was expected to get 40 kg of rice.

"Instead of 40kg, 34-35 kg of rice was being given to each fisherman and a surplus of 53 sacks of rice were misappropriated by ward member Mofassar and Chairman Nasir Uddin Swapon," said the UNO.

Chairman Nasir managed to evade arrest, added the UNO.

Contacted, Molla Shoheb Ali, officer-in-charge of Goshairhat Police Station, said that a complaint has been filed against the chairman and ward member Mofassar in this connection.

Nasir could not be reached over the phone for his comments, despite several attempts till the filing of this report.