The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Against the backdrop of overt criticism from all corners on the failure of the government to halt soaring price of rice, the state functionaries yesterday decided to launch a series of programmes including open market sale of rice within a short time.

The Government's Planning and Monitoring Committee on food took the decision yesterday at a meeting with Food Adviser Tapan Chowdhury in the chair.

Committee members Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam and LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal were present, among others, at the meeting held at the Planning Ministry.

The programme also includes the selling of 15,000 tonnes of rice by Bangladesh Rifles at subsidised rate. Another 5,000 tonnes of rice will be provided for the workers at closed mills in Khulna.

The BDR will sell rice at Tk 25 per kg through its outlets. They will be provided rice at Tk 24 per kg.

"People are suffering. We are trying to do something for them," Tapan Chowdhury told newsmen after the meeting.

On the other hand, Food and Disaster Management Ministry yesterday has issued two separate tenders to import 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati preboiled and 50,000 tonnes of white rice from Thailand to meet the emergency needs.

At the same time the Ministry also issued a tender to import 50,000 tonnes of wheat to meet local demand.

The tenders were floated after India's decision to raise the minimum export price of rice to US$500 from US$425.

Both the tenders will close on January 16, with validity up to February 5, for shipment within 30 days of the date of signing of the contract.

The price quotation has to be quoted separate for Chittagong and Mongla ports, cost, insurance and freight including stevedoring on the sellers' account, at both the ends of the shipment.

The country is facing shortage of 1.7 million tonnes of rice following the two phases of floods and the devastating cyclone Sidr.

Mounting the sufferings of middle and lower income group of people, prices of rice have been increasing for the last couple of weeks. Prices of coarse rice reached at Tk 30 to Tk 32 per kg within a short span of time.

Market survey shows, a kg of low-quality coarse rice was selling at Tk 30 to Tk 32 and high-quality Najirshail variety up to Tk 48 and Miniket Tk 46 in the city yesterday. Before Eid, a kg of coarse rice was sold at Tk 27 and Najirshail rice at Tk 40.

Survey also shows that per kg of Swarna and Pari rice is selling at Tk 30 and Paijam at Tk 31 per kg on Tuesday, which was selling at Tk 27 before Eid-ul- Fitr.

According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, the price of rice rose by 11.6 per cent over the month.

A month ago, the prices of medium-quality Najirshail and Miniket were between Tk 32 and Tk 35 and those of high-quality Najirshail and Miniket between Tk 33 and Tk 37. Now those are selling between Tk 35 and Tk 42, the TCB said.

According to the TCB statistics Tuesday, the prices of medium-quality Paijam and Lata were Tk 29 and Tk 30 while high-quality Paijam and Lata Tk 30 and Tk 32.