The government will provide 1.5 lakh tonnes of rice to 50 lakh families at subsidised prices and sell meat, eggs, and other essential items at low prices in Dhaka during Ramadan.

The announcement came yesterday during the second day of four-day DC Conference-2024 at the Osmani Auditorium in the capital. Twenty-four ministries and divisions exchanged their views in eight sessions of the conference.

After a session with DCs, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder told reporters that allocation for rice is being made under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme to support consumers during the Ramadan.

Dealers have been asked to distribute the rice among the beneficiaries by March 10, he said.

The rice will be sold at Tk 15 a kg as part of the food-friendly programme, which the minister hopes will keep the rice market stable during Ramadan.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister Md Abdur Rahman announced that meat and eggs will be sold at low prices from 30 designated outlets set up on trucks across Dhaka from March 10 until the day before Eid-ul-Fitr.

He told reporters that beef would be sold at Tk 600 per kg, mutton at Tk 900, dressed broiler chicken at Tk 280, and eggs at Tk 10.50 per piece.

Meanwhile, the Road Transport and Highways Division in another session asked the DCs to hold the meeting of District Road Safety Committee twice, instead of once, a month, aiming to ensure road safety.

It also told them to take necessary steps to make the journey of holidaymakers smooth and hassle free ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.

ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, secretary of the division, told this newspaper that the road safety committee is supposed to convene its meeting once a month.

"But we requested the committee to hold the meeting twice a month for ensuring road safety. If they cannot solve a problem, they have been asked to write to us so that we can solve it."

The secretary, who was present in the meeting on behalf of Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader as he is now in Singapore for health checkup, said the DCs were asked to take necessary measures so that people's home journey is safe and smooth.

He added that the DCs placed 22 proposals, including expansion of Dhaka-Chattogram and Chandpur-Cumilla highways and several other major ones. "We agreed to the proposal."

The DCs urged the Bridges Division to construct four major bridges, including bridges on Paturia-Daulatdia and Cox's Bazar-Maheshkhali routes.

In another session, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury put emphasis on saving rivers as the issue is related to climate change.

The planning ministry instructed the DCs to place development project proposals that will be beneficial for the people of their districts.

State Minister for Planning Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker told reporters after the meeting that projects should not always be taken up by the ministry.

"Usually, the ministries initiate development projects and field-level officials implement them. We urge them [DCs] to place [development] proposals if required for the locals," he said.

State Minister for Finance Waseqa Ayesha Khan said the DCs are requested to implement the development projects prioritised according to the election manifesto of the government.

"We have 11 priority sectors in our manifesto that should be the focus of the district administrators while implementing the projects," she added.

Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said there is no uncertainty about the economy now.

"After the independence of Bangladesh, now it is the peak time for development. All economic indicators are upwards. But the BNP has been spreading propaganda against us."

He, however, did not reply to a query on inflation, saying that the Cabinet Division would issue a statement in this regard.