The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has lowered import taxes on non-boiled atap rice to 25 per cent from 62.5 per cent through issuing a gazette.
However, the import of Basmati and Aromatic Rice will not get the benefit of concessionary duty rate.
Earlier, the NBR had reduced import duties for husked (brown rice), boiled rice, and broken rice.
Agencies add: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Wednesday approved three separate proposals for procuring 350,000 tonnes of rice under direct procurement method (DPM) from India, Thailand and Vietnam to meet emergency state purposes.
The approval came from the 8th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs held this year virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Kamal said the meeting gave approval to a proposal in principle for procuring 0.15 million tonnes of non-basmati boiled rice under DPM method from Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (PUNSUP) of India to meet emergency state purpose.
He said the meeting approved another proposal from the Ministry of Food for importing another 0.15 million tonnes of non-basmati boiled rice under the DPM method from Sakonnakhon National Farmers Council, Office of the Prime Minister, Thailand.
Besides, another proposal from the Ministry of Food was given approval in the meeting for importing another 50,000 tonnes of white rice under the DPM method from Southern Food Corporation (VINAFOOD) of Vietnam.
Earlier this year, a number of proposals for the import of different quantity of rice were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase.
After giving the latest approval for rice import, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the government's move is part of minimising the risk of any possible food shortage.
"Actually, we've taken an initiative to avert any risk of food shortage in the country," he told reporters while briefing on the decisions the two committees took in their meetings.
The finance minister said the government is trying to procure rice from different sources so that no such problem is created if any source country or company failed to live up to its commitment. "That is why, we're procuring rice from various sources in order to minimize the risk factors," he added.
"The prices of the rice are yet to be settled and these will be imported government-to-government (G-to-G) contracts," said the Finance Minister adding that Bangladesh Embassies in those countries were asked to negotiate with the governments for the prices.
After finalising the prices, the import proposals will be placed again before the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase for its final approval, he mentioned.
Apart from this, the finance minister said the meeting approved another proposal, which was tabled in the meeting, to exclude the holding of drone show, laser show as part of celebrating the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence considering the growing infection rate of COVID-19.
He said the other components of the celebration will be held in line with the health safety measures and the social distancing.
The committee also approved a proposal of the Roads and Highways Department for awarding contract for the improvement of Kurigram (Dasherhat) Nageswari-Bhurungamari-Sonahat Land Port Road to the national highway.
Moyenddin (Bashi) Limited won the contract involving Tk 136.24 crore.
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