VGF rice for the poor in Ramadan: Razzaque

The government will provide rice to poor people under its vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme in the holy month of Ramadan, said Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Sunday.

"We (the government) will provide rice at Tk 10 per kilogramme to poor people under VGF programme during the upcoming Ramadan," he said while distributing as the chief guest TCB family cards at Malauri Governnent Primary School under Modhupur upazila in Tangail.

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh or TCB has started distributing sugar, edible oil, onion, lentil and grams at subsidised rates to 10 million people (having TCB cards) ahead of Ramadan across the country aiming to lessen their woes.

Dr Razzaque said that prices of essential commodities would come down to a tolerable level after the arrival of new crops in April.

"There will be no food shortage in the country as the government is very much conscious about it. We would assist poor people with more food assistance. The prices of essential commodities have shot up due to Covid-19 and the ongoing war (Russia vs Ukraine conflict)," he said.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had taken initiatives for providing TCB family cards to provide essential commodities to 10 million poor families considering their woes.

Mentioning that the government has been working relentlessly to contain the spiralling prices of essentials, the minister said the government will continue its pro-poor people programme.

He alleged that the BNP along with some other political parties were trying to destabilise the country by disseminating false and misinformation on prices of essentials.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com