Govt starts sale of rice at Tk 22 in 29 unions

Dhaka, Jan 4 (bdprem.com) – The government Friday started selling rice through dealers at Tk 22 a kg in three upazilas on the fringe of Dhaka to curb the spiralling price of the staple. The sale began in 29 unions in Keraniganj, Dohar and Nawabganj with three selling centres set up in each union, said the joint forces camp commander of the three upazilas. "The rice has been allocated from the Test Relief programme and is being sold to the dealers at Tk 20.21," Major Farid told bdnews24.com. The dealers are selling the rice to the people at Tk 22, he added. "One person can buy a maximum of 5 kg per day at this price," said the camp commander. The staple is selling at Tk 33 a kg in the retail market. "Seventy dealers have been appointed for distribution under this programme," said Major Farid, adding that the programme will continue for another seven days in the three upazilas. "I hope that the rice market in these three upazilas will become stable by this time." The rice selling centres will remain open from 8am to 8pm, Farid said. As much as 8,000 tonnes will be sold every day in the 29 unions of the three upazilas, he added. Upazila nirabahi officers, Union Parishad chairmen, rice traders and government officials are extending "allout help" to see the programme succeed, he said. "If rice price does not become stable in other areas, such programmes will be introduced throughout the country in phases," he said. Acting secretary of the food and disaster management ministry Md Ayub Mia said: "In the current fiscal, 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of rice has been allotted to Test Relief." He said 50,000 tonne rice had already been supplied to different upazilas. The acting food secretary said as per the Test Relief policy, the rice can be sold and the cash deposited to the project funds. To control the price spiral of the staple, Open Market Sales will start throughout the country on Jan 9. Under the OMS programme, rice will be sold at Tk 25 in the open market through government-appointed dealers. Each family will be allowed 3 kg rice per day.