Govt to import 1.30 lakh tonnes of rice

The government yesterday approved a proposal for importing 1.3 lakh tonnes of rice for Tk 374 crore to increase food stock.
The cabinet committee on Economic Purchase in a meeting, chaired by finance minister AMA Muhith, approved the rice import proposal.
One lakh tonnes of the rice will be bought from Vietnam on the basis of a state-to-state deal for Tk 226.61 crore. Private importers will provide the rest of the amount.
The finance minister said, ''We have decided to import rice from Vietnam as it is easily available there."
The food ministry officials said the stock of food grains has plummeted to almost a half compared with corresponding period last year. The government has, therefore, decided to import rice, they added.
The committee approved an Education Ministry proposal for importing 9,122 tonnes of cartridge paper to print books for the secondary schools, as well.