The government will start the open market sale (OMS) of rice from August 20 at a rate of Tk 28 per kilogramme (kg) in order to support the poorer segment of people, badly affected by the current soaring prices of the food staff.
The countrywide OMS drive also aims to help rein in the prices of rice in the market, especially before and during the holy month of Ramadan.
The decision on launching of the OMS of rice was taken Tuesday at the meeting of the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) with the Food Adviser AMM Shawkat Ali in the Chair.
Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam, LGRD Advisor Anwarul Iqbal, Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumder, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Muhammad Abdul Majid and Food Secretary Mollah Waheduzzaman, among other senior government officials of the relevant agencies, were present at the meeting, which was held at the Secretariat.
"The decision on the launching the open market sale of rice has been taken to support the limited-income groups of people," the finance adviser told newsmen after the meeting.
Mirza Azizul Islam also expressed his hope that the OMS drive would help stabilise the rice price in the market.
He also said the government will supply rice to the authorised dealers at a rate of Tk 26.50 per kg and they will sell it at Tk 28 per kg at the consumers' levels.
The meeting was told that a total of 219,566 tonnes of rice will be sold under the countrywide OMS programme.
On the other hand, a senior food ministry official informed the FE that about 7000 to 7500 dealers are expected to engage with the OMS drive throughout the country.
A person will be able to purchase a maximum three kgs of rice from the OMS dealers, the official mentioned.
The official also said except for Fridays, the OMS will be in operation every day of week except.
With the beginning from August 20, the OMS programme will continue until October 31, said the senior food ministry official.
When asked, the official said the government has sufficient stock of rice to run the OMS programme.
Apart from the OMS drive, the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) has planned to resume the sales of rice under its fair-price shops before the beginning of the Ramadan, sources said.
