The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The government yesterday approved procuring of 43,000 metric tons of non-Bashmoti rice from the local suppliers.

A meeting of the Advisers Committee on Public Purchase approved the procurement proposal placed by the Ministry of Food.

The Cabinet Purchase Committee also approved a proposal of the Ministry of Industries to appoint a foreign firm at a cost of Tk 103 crore to repair and rehabilitate the burnt Gas Compressor and Turbine of the Ghorasal Fertiliser Factory.

According to the Food Ministry proposal the local traders will supply the rice at the rates between Tk 25.49 and Tk 27.65 per kilogram. The total price of the 43,000 metric tons of rice will be Tk 115.52 crore.

Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam, after the meeting, told newsmen that the rice, imported by private sector, is already in different storages.

According to the Food Ministry officials the purchase is part of the government efforts to build up a good stock of rice to tackle any situation.

Earlier, the Food Adviser had said that the government is trying to procure huge quantity of food grains from different sources to meet the demands in the days ahead.

The Food Ministry already announced its plan to import 5 lakh tons of rice from neighbouring India and other countries to meet the shortages to be caused due to repeated flooding and cyclone Sidr attack.