Bangladesh has a plan to import up to 1.0 million tonnes of wheat from India under government to government contract and necessary steps already have been taken by the concerned food ministry.
"Bangladesh has sent an offer letter to the Bangladesh High Commission in India for making a negotiation with the Indian government to import as much as 1.0 million tonnes wheat," said Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder exclusively, reports BSS.
After receiving the letter from Indian national companies, he said, "We are trying to make correspondence with seven to eight Indian Wheat export companies and to seek clearance from the Indian government."
After the clearance from the Indian government, then negotiation on fixing import price will be held with the Indian government for materialising the import arrangement, he said on Tuesday night.
Although we have a verbal agreement with India to import on an estimated amount of 1.0 million tonnes of wheat, but now we have sent our total import demand officially.
Earlier, a tender has been completed with the neighbouring India to import around 0.30 million tonnes of wheat --- where 0.15 million tonnes are on unloading process at the port and import of remaining 0.15 million tonnes are in pipeline.
Bangladesh usually imports wheat from Russia, but the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has compelled us to import wheat from India.
Country's annual wheat demand stands at 7.50 million tonnes where 1.10 million tonnes produced in locally and the rest 6.40 million tonnes are usually comes from Russia, Ukraine, India and Canada.
Of the total wheat import of Bangladesh, Russia and Ukraine meets 45 per cent of wheat import demand which is now being suspended due to war.
After removing US embargo on dollar, Russia also has sent offer letter to
Bangladesh for wheat export which was suspended due to US embargo on export import goods from abroad since Russia and Ukraine war.