Amid the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, the government is going to start selling rice at Tk 10 a kilogram (kg) for low-income people in the capital. The rice selling campaign will continue until June. The finance ministry on Tuesday approved the food ministry’s proposal in this regard. The food ministry is now set to issue a notification within a couple of days.
As per the prime minister's commitment, the authority concerned has taken the initiative for the poor people in the capital city. Her announcement came during a speech to the nation broadcast by Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar on March 25, on the eve of the Independence Day, amid widespread fears over the coronavirus pandemic.
Food ministry secretary Dr Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum told media that, “Due to the long general holiday, people in every sphere of the society is lock downed. As a result, poor people have become jobless. This is causing severe problems in their lives. So, as per the directions of the Prime Minister, we are going to launch this program in major cities, including the capital”.
Md Amzad Hossain, director (supply, distribution and marketing division) of Directorate General of Food has said, “As per the Prime Minister’s announcement, rice will be sold at Tk 10 per kg in the capital and other big cities. As the finance ministry has informed their opinion to the food secretary, soon a letter will be issued in this regard to commencing the program”.
Unusually the government sells rice for five months at a subsidized price of Tk 10 per kg outside the capital while low-income people, mostly daily laborers, in Dhaka can buy it at Tk 30 a kg. Each person can buy the highest five kg of rice. A nationwide shutdown is underway and all government and private offices are closed for nearly two weeks as part of the government’s effort to stem the spared of coronavirus in the country, causing immense miseries to low-income people.
