Sales of rice under Open Market Sale (OMS) programme has been stopped in Rajshahi city from Sunday. The OMS programme of rice selling started in the city just a week before aiming to supply rice for poor and marginal section of people at Taka 10.00 per kilogramme from 10-00 am to 3-00 pm on every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. But, the selling of rice under the programme has been stopped without mentioning any cause.
OMS dealers in Rajshahi said they were not getting rice from the store-house of the Controller of Food from Sunday. Some dealers had deposited money at the bank to procure rice but they returned disappointed without getting their allocation.
Meanwhile, many low-income group people were seen to queue at the place on Sunday morning from where rice was supposed to supply but they returned empty-handed.
It is learnt, the OMS of rice started in 32-points of the city from April-5 last. Everyone was getting five kilogrammes of rice at Taka 10.00 per kg. Mainly the day labourers, rickshaw, van pullers, transport workers, hawkers, tea-stall owners and domestic aids were the beneficiaries of the OMS programmes.
Nazmul Islam Bhuiyan, District Controller of Food said, the supply of rice to OMS dealers has been suspended following an order from the Ministry of Food.
But, he said, he does not know the cause of such order. He further said, so far 70 metric tonnes of rice was distributed in the city from April-5 last. Meanwhile, a source in Rajshahi informed, the selling of rice under OMS programme has been suspended fearing contagion of the Coronavirus.
