The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Chairman of the Regulatory Reform Commission Akbar Ali Khan Friday recommended that, alongside the sale of rice under the OMS programme, rice provided free of cost to around 1.5 crore people to face the present crisis.

In an exclusive interview with bdnews24.com Friday, he spoke on several issues including the escalating price of rice and other essentials.

"Many may be surprised at my proposal. But this is not a new proposal at all," Akbar said. "The budget for current fiscal also mentions supplying free rice to 25 lakh poor people. I have only increased the figure to 1.5 crore considering the magnitude of the crisis."

"Poor people cannot survive buying rice at Tk 35 per kg. The government should immediately distribute rice to the hard core poor people free of cost on an urgent basis, considering the humanitarian ground."

Mentioning that distribution of free rice to poor people is nothing new Akbar Ali Khan said, during the Awami League and BNP government free rice was delivered to the poor through Vulnerable Group Development and Vulnerable Group Feeding programmes.

The current budget also provides for assisting the poor in other ways through social safety net programmes, said the former adviser to a caretaker government. Replying to a question Akbar said: "The present food stock in the government silos is not adequate compared to the need. Food stock need to be increased by importing on an emergency basis."

"Food should be imported in any way, from any country to increase the government stock of food," the RRC chairman stressed. "If there is any negligence in this regard we will have to pay a bigger price."

The government must make decisions quickly, Akbar added. Akbar said the government had been asked over the past one year to take effective steps to increase agricultural production.

"But no such steps were taken." "It is a long term process. But some short term measures can also be taken to increase agricultural production. Unfortunately such measures are not visible."