Shawdesh Desk;

The government started selling rice and wheat through Open Market Sale (OMS) of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) in upazila level across the country from today.

Rice is being sold at Tk30 per kg while the wheat at Tk18 per kg.

Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder announced the decision at Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday.

“The OMS programme remains open round the year, though it was launched in 730 shops on a limited scale. Now the OMS service will be launched in upazilas through 1,760 dealers from tomorrow,” he said.

“A food-friendly programme is already being run at union level and rice is also available there at Tk 10 per kg. So the programme will not be launched at the union level but it will continue in the upazilas, he added.

“There is no scarcity of food in the country now. We have huge stocks of rice. There is no rotten rice in the godowns. The quality of rice stored in godowns is good. So people can eat it,” the minister said.

The demand for fine rice is high as everyone wants to eat it which has an impact on its price. Prices of rice and wheat have also marked a rise in the international markets, he also said.

The DCs have been directed to monitor the OMS progrmme. A monitoring team was formed by the ministry to run the activities smoothly, he added.

If anyone is found involved in hoarding rice, legal action will be taken against them, said the minister.

“The dealers are allowed to purchase two tonnes of rice and they have to sell it mandatorily. If they keep some rice in stock for selling in the black market, it will cause a big problem for them,” he said.

The minister also said, “We have sent a file to the Prime Minister to know if there is any way to import rice after reducing tax.”