Rashidul Hasan

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder has admitted that seven lakh fake OMS cards were distributed during the Covid-19 lockdown in the country last year.

The minister said this during a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on the food ministry on September 24, according to minutes of the meeting.

This newspaper has obtained a copy of the meeting minutes. The minutes were approved by the parliamentary body at its following meeting on Wednesday.

“A total of 50 lakh OMS [open market sale] cards were distributed during the coronavirus situation. Of them, seven lakh have been found to be fake,” Sadhan told the meeting.

The minister said an initiative was taken to make smart OMS cards through the government’s Information and Communication Technology department to curb various irregularities and corruption.

Talking to reporters on Wednesday, he said they have collected relevant information (about fake cards) recorded on Excel sheets from all areas of the country. “Steps have been taken to make smart cards so that irregularities which took place during the Covid-19 situation do not recur.”