The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Government will introduce Open Market Sales to offer rice at cheap prices among the poor people two weeks before the holy month of Ramzan.

Speaking to reporters at the Food Ministry yesterday, Food and Disaster Management Secretary Mollah Wahiduzzaman said, OMS programmes would start two weeks before Ramzan following the guidelines of the Chief Adviser.

The OMS price of rice per kilogram has not yet been fixed. "But the Ministry will soon hold a meeting to decide on the price," he said.

The Chief Adviser had suggested starting Open Market Sales at least 10 days ahead of Ramzan, which is expected to begin on September 3, Waheduzzaman added.

The secretary said the OMS programme would run six days a week through 7,169 dealers across the country. It was three days as in past OMS programmes. The three-kilogram grant of rice per person will remain the same, but the total number of beneficiaries will rise to over 12 lakh from around 8 lakh in the previous programmes. Asked about what amount of rice was being set aside for OMS programmes, Waheduzzaman said it would be two lakh tonnes, but the amount would be increased if necessary as had been done in the past.

He said in the first phase of the programme, 50 trucks would visit target areas. Those with a high concentration of day labourers, RMG industrial areas and slum areas will be brought under the OMS programme to start with, to be expanded throughout the country in later phases.

He said, "The Government will ensure supply of rice among the low income people at a cheap price ahead of Ramzan."