The government will provide rice for free to 10 million (one crore) ultra-poor people as food support during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder disclosed the matter to the media on Thursday at his ministry saying the main staple will be provided to the destitute section under Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme.
Expressing utter confidence, he said the programme has been taken to ensure that the people at least do not have to face any unpleasant or embarrassing situation for want of rice during the month of fasting.
He said further during Ramadan the government will distribute non-parboiled rice, locally known as atap, for the low-income (or ultra poor) people.
The government imported the rice from Myanmar for distribution among the people during Ramadan which will begin on March 23 subject to moon sighting.
The food minister said the Ministry of Food (MoF) started taking preparations to ensure proper distribution of the rice to the beneficiaries.
He added the rice will be distributed by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.
Mr Majumder said a total of 2,500 dealers across the country have been distributing rice and ata under a massive distribution programme.
He, however, said the open market sale (OMS) programme will also continue along with the upcoming food distribution programme under VGF during Ramadan.
A person of the lower income bracket could purchase rice at Tk30 per kilogramme (KG) while ata at Tk24 a kg under OMS programme.
Besides, Mr Majumder said a total of five million families will purchase rice under the government's food friendly programme at an affordable rate from next month.
Each family could purchase 30 kg rice at Tk15 per kg monthly.
The food friendly programme will continue during the months March, April, May, September and October.
He said allocation of ata under OMS programme is set to be increased.
Under OMS programme, people of the low income bracket could purchase rice at Tk30 a kg while ata at Tk24 a kg.
Mr Majumder said import of rice by the private sector apart from the government is also going on. He added the country has now an adequate stock of food grains.
As per data prepared until February 2023, the country has food grain stocks amounting to over 2.3 million tonnes in the government silos.
The government has a target to purchase 0.5 million tonnes of Aman rice from internal sources.
So far, over 0.3 million (3,74,030 tonnes) tonnes of Aman rice have been procured by the government.
The government has signed contracts with the millers for purchasing rice amounting to over 0.4 million tonnes (4,62,473 tonnes).
The minster expressed the hope that the purchase will be completed by the end of the current month. The farmers are now getting fair price of paddy, he said.
Mr Majumder is also hopeful that there will be a bumper production of Boro paddy this year unless there is any natural calamity.
He said the country has witnessed bumper Aman yield this season.
