The New Nation - Internet Edition

SOME days after the Sidr cyclone had hit south-eastern coast of Bangladesh, Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee visited the country and promised to export five lakh tonnes of rice to Bangladesh at government fixed price. Bangladeshis were moved at that gesture and were waiting to receive the rice within a reasonable time as their need was dire. No one thought that there could be any delay or any point of nuance in fixing the price of the rice. May be due to some unexpected developments certain such points have arisen which have delayed the shipment of the rice much to the disadvantage of the people of Bangladesh. Against this backdrop, World Bank MD MS NNgozi Okoiyo Iweala, who at the close of a four-day official visit to Bangladesh, agreed to take up the matter with India.

Bangladesh has so far received five thousand metric tonnes of Indian rice while another seven thousand five hundred tonnes are on the way to Chittagong port. But these consignments taken together form a small quantity of the promised quantum. Bangladesh needs rice badly right now, more than what it needed in the past or it may need in future.

It is said that certain factors including fixation of the price of rice are the causes of delay of shipment. So far as the price of the rice is concerned, it is no trader's job to make a deal on a profit motive but a commitment of the government of India to support its neighbour at the hour of need. Therefore, one would expect that the efforts to be made by Ms Iweala would be successful and Indian rice would be shipped to Bangladesh at the earliest.