The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Faridpur

Dismissing the claim by various quarters that a 'silent famine' was stalking through the country, Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam said the price of rice would come down after the harvest of the current Boro paddy.

"There is no famine in the country. The prices of essentials have gone up in Bangladesh following the price-hike on the international market…this is not unusual," he said when local newsmen asked whether there is any famine in the country. He was talking to the journalists after inaugurating a branch of Employment Bank in Alphadanga upazila in the afternoon.

Dr Aziz said, "Though aman crop has failed due to Cyclone Sidr and consecutive floods, we've imported additional six lakh metric tons of food this year compared to that of last year."

The Finance Adviser said the government has taken various steps to bring down the prices of essentials and hoped that the rice supply would get a boost on the local market after the Boro harvest.

About the next budget, he said health, education and human resources development would get priority in the new budget.