The government is set to import 0.2 million tonnes of wheat from Russia under government to government (G2G) arrangement, officials said.
A proposal in this regard now awaits approval from the cabinet committee on public purchase, they said.
A tonne of wheat will be imported at US$ 252.
The directorate general of food, which is under the ministry of food (MoF), has recently sent a proposal to the cabinet division for approval by the cabinet committee on public purchase in its meeting, scheduled for today (Thursday).
Apart from the Russian Federation, Bangladesh imports wheat from Ukraine under a separate memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The Russian company, JSC Prodintorg, sent a letter to the Food Ministry for supplying wheat on May 09, 2017.
Later, a delegation of JSC Prodintorg visited Bangladesh on August 19 and held meeting with the government officials over the quality and price of wheat.
Minutes of the meeting were signed between Bangladesh government and the delegation of JSC Prodintorg for supplying wheat.
The government will import 0.5 million tonnes of wheat for the fiscal year 2017-18.
Out of the amount, 0.2 million tonnes will come under G2G arrangement from Russia.
Besides, procedures have been completed for importing 0.15 million tonnes of wheat, according to the ministry of food.
The country has now a stock of around 0.5 million tonnes of rice and wheat.
A food official said that there is no uncertainty over supplying of wheat if it is done under the G2G arrangement.
Besides, this facilitates supply of a significant quantity of products within a short span of time.
"We are importing wheat to consolidate the stock of wheat and keep emergency distribution system of the government intact," a senior ministry official told the FE.
