Business

Govt relaxes rules to speed up rice imports

The government yesterday relaxed public procurement rules to buy one lakh tonnes of rice from the international market through private suppliers within a shorter period, according to a decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). 

Under the new directive, the food ministry can now seek bids from private suppliers within 15 days of tender floatation instead of the previous 28 days, said a senior official of the Directorate General of Food.

The move comes as the government ramps up efforts to bolster public foodgrain stocks, including rice, through imports and curb the staple's rising price.

The interim government earlier planned to import 700,000 tonnes of rice—the highest in seven fiscal years—to replenish stocks and intervene in the market to stabilise prices.

At the end of December last year, foodgrain reserves in government storages stood at 11.95 lakh tonnes, down 22 percent year-on-year, according to the food ministry.

"We will not allow any decline in the supply of essential commodities," said Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed after the CCEA meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat.

Additionally, the committee approved the purchase of 10,000 tonnes of lentils from Nabil Naba Foods Ltd, a concern of the Nabil Group of Industries, for nearly Tk 98 crore.

It also cleared proposals from state agencies to procure 40,000 tonnes of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser and 60,000 tonnes of granular fertiliser. 

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Govt relaxes rules to speed up rice imports

The government yesterday relaxed public procurement rules to buy one lakh tonnes of rice from the international market through private suppliers within a shorter period, according to a decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). 

Under the new directive, the food ministry can now seek bids from private suppliers within 15 days of tender floatation instead of the previous 28 days, said a senior official of the Directorate General of Food.

The move comes as the government ramps up efforts to bolster public foodgrain stocks, including rice, through imports and curb the staple's rising price.

The interim government earlier planned to import 700,000 tonnes of rice—the highest in seven fiscal years—to replenish stocks and intervene in the market to stabilise prices.

At the end of December last year, foodgrain reserves in government storages stood at 11.95 lakh tonnes, down 22 percent year-on-year, according to the food ministry.

"We will not allow any decline in the supply of essential commodities," said Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed after the CCEA meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat.

Additionally, the committee approved the purchase of 10,000 tonnes of lentils from Nabil Naba Foods Ltd, a concern of the Nabil Group of Industries, for nearly Tk 98 crore.

It also cleared proposals from state agencies to procure 40,000 tonnes of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser and 60,000 tonnes of granular fertiliser. 

Comments

দ্রুত ন্যূনতম ঐকমত্য, তার ভিত্তিতে অতিদ্রুত নির্বাচনের প্রত্যাশা বিএনপির

বিএনপি মহাসচিব মির্জা ফখরুল ইসলাম আলমগীর বলেছেন, ‘আমরা আশা করব, খুব দ্রুত এই সংস্কারের ন্যূনতম ঐক্যমত্য তৈরি হবে। সেটার ওপর ভিত্তি করে অতিদ্রুত জাতীয় নির্বাচন অনুষ্ঠিত হবে।’

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