DHAKA : Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder today said that 5.5 million (55 lakh) low-income families will be provided with food items at lower prices under the food friendly programme by increasing the number of families by 5 lakh from the existing 50 lakh.
The duration of this assistance is currently 5 months in a year. But it has been decided to increase the duration of the assistance from 5 months to 6 months year, he said in an interview with BSS.
Majumder said the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) buys products from the local market and supplies those to people at a low cost with subsidies. Moreover, the government provides a large subsidy on rice under the ‘Food Friendly Programme’ of the Ministry.
This is the largest outlet for supply as 50 lakh families get 30 kg of rice for five months a year until this fiscal year (2024-25), the adviser added.
It has also been specified under the Food Security Programme for next year’s budget, said the adviser, adding that the duration will be six months and the number of beneficiaries will be increased to 55 lakh in next fiscal year of 2025-26.
Majumder said there are 14 lakh 65 thousand 355 tonnes of rice and wheat stocks now.
Out of these, rice is 11 lakh 44 thousand 655 metric tonnes and wheat is 3 lakh 5 thousand 880 metric tonnes while another wheat ship is coming and a tender will also be given for the purchase of wheat.
“We may have to import some rice, but not now, we will import rice later,” said Majumder.
The adviser said there has been a very good harvest of Boro rice in the current season.
“Our goal is to procure 1.4 million Boro rice from domestic sources. And if we can procure this, we will not have to import rice from abroad right now. Last time, we had to import rice from abroad because the yield of Aman rice was not good.”
