Govt to sell rice at cheaper rate among low-income group

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The government has decided to sell rice at a cheaper rate among the low-income group in the country's three regions, reports UNB.

An inter-ministerial monitoring committee Thursday took the decision at a meeting held at Commerce Ministry with Commerce Ministry additional secretary Golam Mostakim in the chair.

The meeting decided to request the Food Department to start the rice sale programme among the lower-income groups in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna regions.

It will also request cold storage owners to raise the number of cold storages and use generators as an alternative source of power at places where it is applicable so that agricultural products, especially potato, can be preserved safely. It will also request the Energy Ministry to continue power supply in this regard.

The meeting also decided to take appropriate steps to import lentil, edible oil, onion and sugar through Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) in an effort to keep the prices of essential commodities at a tolerable level during the forthcoming Ramadan.

Commerce Ministry joint-secretary Mohammad Ali Patwari and representatives from Home, Agriculture, Food and Disaster Management Ministries and Local Government Department, TCB, Chief Adviser's Office, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), DGFI, NSI, Bangladesh Statistical Bureau, Agricultural Extension Department, Agriculture Marketing Department and other organisations attended the meeting.