Three more union parishad public representatives were suspended today due to their alleged involvement in irregularities in distribution of rice allocated for the vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.

The three public representatives are from Kuchaipotti Union Parishad under Gosairhat upazila in Shariatpur district, said a release issued by the local government, rural development and cooperatives (LGRD) ministry.

They are: BM Nasir Uddin Swapan, Union Parishad chairman; UP member of ward no 3 Mofazzal Bepari and Shamim Bepari, UP member of Ward No. 9, according to the release.

The ministry also issued a notification in this regard.

So far, 52 public representatives -- 19 union parishad chairmen, 31 UP members, one zila parishad member and one councillor of a municipality -- have been suspended for misappropriating relief materials, said Mahmudul Hasan, public relations officer of LGRD ministry.

In the notice, the ministry asked the suspended public representatives to explain through respective deputy commissioners why they should not be removed permanently from their posts.