The government is importing three and a half lakh metric tons of rice

POBNEWS24.Net, Dhaka, Mar 11, 2021:The government has decided to buy 3.5 lakh metric tonnes of rice to stabilize the volatile market. The rice will be imported from India, Thailand and Vietnam by direct purchase method .

On Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved three separate proposals for rice imports. It was presided over by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.

After the meeting, the finance minister told a press briefing that the state of Punjab had approved a proposal to import 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of non-basmati cooked rice from the Civil Successors Corporation Limited (PUNSUP) in the DMP system to meet the urgent need.

The minister said the meeting also approved another proposal from the Thai Prime Minister’s Office, Sakonnakhon National Pharmaceutical Council, to import another 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of non-basmati cooked rice under the DPM system. The meeting also approved another proposal to import another 50,000 metric tonnes of white rice from the Southern Food Corporation of Vietnam through the DPM system.

The finance minister said the government was trying to import rice from various sources so that no problem would arise if any country or company failed to deliver on its promises. The decision was taken to avoid any kind of risk, the minister said.

Responding to a question from reporters, Mustafa Kamal said that Bangladesh’s ambassadors to India, Thailand and Vietnam are negotiating with the concerned company or organization to fix the price of rice.

The Finance Minister also said that considering the situation of coronavirus infection, the meeting also approved another proposal to omit drone show and laser show as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh’s independence. However, another program to celebrate the golden jubilee in accordance with the health rules will remain in force, the finance minister said.