The New Nation - Internet Edition

STAFF REPORTER

The government has decided to open fair price outlets from the third week of August to keep the rice market stable during the fasting month of Ramadan.

Under the Open Market Sale (OMS) programme, rice will be sold at Tk 28-30, lower than that in outside markets.

Food Secretary Molla Wahiduzzaman said that the government decided to start OMS to keep the price of rice stable during Ramadan expected to begin early September as the price line usually shot up in the holy month.

The government will seek to bring more people under the programme through which 250,000 tons of rice would be sold at 7,100 outlets across the country.

Under the programme, rice will be sold six days a week and each person will be allowed to buy three kilograms of rice.

The total number of beneficiaries would rise to over 1.2 million, the Food Secretary said.

The government also launched the OMS programme in September last year in a bid to reach the essential commodities in a tolerable price during Ramadan.