Madaripur Social Services Office Embroiled in Systematic Embezzlement of Disability Allowances
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Systemic corruption and administrative negligence in Madaripur’s Sadar Upazila have left hundreds of disabled residents deprived of their government-sanctioned financial assistance. Investigations reveal a pattern where social safety net funds intended for the most vulnerable are being diverted to unauthorized mobile banking accounts, often linked to officials or individuals ineligible for the benefits.
Fourteen-year-old Arifa Akter, a girl living with intellectual disabilities, secured a disability card after a decade-long struggle by her parents. However, when her family attempted to register for the monthly allowance, they discovered that an unknown individual had already linked a “ghost” bKash number to her identity, siphoning off the funds. Despite formal complaints filed with the local police and multiple appeals to the Sadar Upazila Social Services Office, the fraudulent payments continue. Similar experiences are reported by the families of other disabled youth, including 15-year-old Shakil Hawlader, whose allowance is reportedly being collected by an unauthorized person named Rupa Akter.
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The issue extends to the deceased, whose records remain active in the system to facilitate embezzlement. Abdur Rashid Hawlader, a disabled man who died in December 2023, continues to have his monthly allowance disbursed. Investigative findings show that his funds are currently being collected by a wealthy woman named Ecmotara, who is not disabled and has no legitimate claim to the benefits. A similar case involves the late Golam Mowla Munshi, whose allowance is now being diverted to an account belonging to a woman identified as Monwara Begum.
With over 6,200 registered beneficiaries in the region, internal manipulation of mobile financial service (MFS) accounts appears to be rampant. Following a directive last December that required beneficiaries to link their own national ID-verified SIM cards to their accounts, many compliant individuals reported that their new account details were ignored. Officials allegedly reverted to using old, unauthorized numbers to process payments, leaving a large segment of the population without their quarterly stipend of 2,716 taka. One beneficiary, Anwar Hossain, openly admitted to receiving funds meant for a disabled woman, challenging authorities to stop the payments if they could.
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Records indicate at least 60 identified “ghost” mobile numbers currently siphoning funds intended for the disabled. Victims allege that corrupt staff within the Social Services Office are orchestrating these changes to channel money toward their own interests. Previous allegations against former officer Ujjwal Munshi, who was accused of misappropriating funds by registering his own contact details to beneficiary accounts, resulted in a departmental investigation and a subsequent transfer to Munshiganj, but no further legal action was taken.
When questioned, current Sadar Upazila Social Services Officer B.M. Asaduzzaman claimed no knowledge of the irregularities, placing the burden of accurate registration on the applicants. Conversely, the Deputy Director of the District Social Services Office, Bishwajit Baidya, acknowledged the history of administrative misconduct and confirmed that previous investigative reports have been submitted to headquarters. Madaripur Deputy Commissioner Morjina Akter has since pledged a thorough investigation, stating that any officials found complicit in the theft of disability funds will face strict legal consequences.
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