BDR gets nod to import more rice

The government yesterday decided to exempt Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) from public procurement rules in importing 1 more lakh metric tons of rice to improve supply in the local markets.
Meanwhile, the price of rice at the retailers' yesterday went down by Tk 1 a kg while that of edible oil in both wholesale and retail markets remained unchanged after rising steeply over the last two weeks .
At a meeting chaired by Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam, the Advisers' Committee on Economic Affairs yesterday also decided that the paramilitary force would be given retrospective exemption from the Public Procurement Regulations (PPR) in case of the previously approved import of 90,000 tonnes of rice, 71,000 tonnes of which have already been imported.
Asked why BDR was chosen over government agencies like Trading Corporation of Bangladesh in the import, Mirza Azizul Islam said the border force has already shown success in this particular case.
The committee also relaxed PPR for Rural Electrification Board in buying 5,000 electric transformers
to keep the irrigation pumps operational throughout the Boro season.
Besides, it decided to form a high-level committee headed by the energy secretary to scrutinise the proposal for third round international bidding for hydrocarbon exploration in maritime Bangladesh.
The committee would be set up drawing representatives from the ministries of finance, planning, foreign and law, National Board of Revenue and Bangladesh Navy.
The Committee on Economic Affairs also approved a food ministry proposal for buying 2 crore pieces of jute bags from Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation without giving a mandatory 10 percent performance guarantee.
PRICE SITUATION
Prices of all varieties of rice decreased by Tk 1 on average at different kitchen markets in the city.
The lowest price yesterday was Tk 31 a kg that was Tk 33 two days ago. Retailers said Swarna, a variety imported from India, and Parija sold at Tk 32-33 a kg while they cost Tk 33-34 per kg Sunday.
The price of Guti and IRRI dropped to Tk 31-32 per kg from Tk 32-33 a day ago.
"Rice prices have decreased more in the retail markets than in the wholesale markets," said Aiyub Ali, owner of Barisal Rice Agency at Karwan Bazar.
Talking to The Daily Star, some people claimed that prices are still very high at the small kitchen markets and groceries.
Meanwhile, all 40 BDR-run fair price shops in the capital remained closed yesterday for weekly holiday.
The price of edible oil was stable. It rose by Tk 8-10 per litre in the last two weeks.