The government will start 'Open Market Sale (OMS)' of rice and wheat at Tk30 and Tk18 per kg respectively from Thursday, January 20, in all Upazilas across the country, said Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Wednesday.

The food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder came up with the information while talking to reporters at the DCs’ conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

"The OMS program 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," minister said.

A food-friendly program is there at the 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.

Claiming that there is no scarcity of food now, the minister said: “You (journalists) know that once cattle used to be brought from India but now those are reared in Bangladesh adequately as there’re many cattle farms in the country,” said Sadhan.

Besides, the demand for thin rice is high as everyone wants to consume it, which has an impact on its price, he said, adding: "The prices of rice and wheat have also marked a rise on the international market."

The DCs have been directed to monitor the OMS activities and a monitoring team was formed by the Ministry to run the activities smoothly, he said.

If anyone is found involved in hoarding rice, legal action will be taken through mobile court drives, if needed, said the minister.

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

Meantime, the minister said the Boro season reached its peak for the procurement of thin rice. "We’ve sent a file to the prime minister to know if there's any way to import rice after reducing tax. We are strictly monitoring it," he added. -DT