Millers to stop supplying rice to govt from today

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Millers across the country have decided to stop supplying rice to the government warehouses from today (Sunday) after a meeting with the government representatives failed to resolve the discriminatory cash incentive issue Saturday.
"We've also decided to halt supply of rice until there is a positive response from the government side," K M Layek Ali, convenor of Bangladesh Auto, Major and Husking Mill Owners' Association, told bdnews24.com.
The millers' association, who are already under contract to supply rice to the government, are demanding the same incentive the food directorate recently announced for new suppliers, who would get Tk 3 per kg.
The government signed an agreement with new suppliers for procuring 0.25 million tonnes of rice and decided to give the incentive to them aimed at boosting the procurement drive.
A government official said the food directorate has been discussing the issue with the millers to find out a solution.
"We hope they would change the 'unwise' decision," food directorate additional secretary Abdul Awal Hawlader told the news agency.
Food minister Abdur Razzaque and secretary Barun Dev Mitra are currently in Manila to attend an international seminar, while food directorate director general Ahmed Hossain Khan is in India to finalise the rice import deal.
Terming the arrangement discriminatory, the association leaders at a press conference at Joypurhat Press Club Friday urged the government to bring all mills under the incentive coverage.
Layek, however, said the government officials were contacting millers to withdraw the programme. "But they could not give any assurance."