Govt to store 2.5 lakh ton more rice

KMA Hasnat: The government has decided to store 2.5 lakh tons of rice more as part of increasing the food storage.

Of which, 1.5 lakh ton boiled rice will be imported from Thailand on government to government system while the rest will be collected through national open tenders.

The whole amount of rice will cost 1 thousand 17 crore and 14 lakh taka.

The purchase committee approved the tariff proposal in a meeting chaired by Finance Minister AMA Muhith at room of cabinet division at Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday.

Mostafizur Rahman, Additional Secretary of Cabinet Division, confirmed the news after the meeting.

He said the cost of per ton rice has been fixed 465 US dollars. As per the rate, to import 1.5 lakh ton boiled rice will cost 578 crore 92 lakh and 50 thousand taka. Considering the emergency for rice, Thailand authorities were asked to supply the rice within 90 days since opening LC in this regard.

risingbd/Dhaka/October 25, 2017/Hasnat/A K Azad