5.5m Families to Get Subsidised Food for 6 Months

Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder -File Photo

Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder has announced that 5.5 million low-income families will receive subsidised food for six months a year under the government’s expanded Open Market Sale (OMS) programme starting in the 2025–26 fiscal year.

The number of beneficiaries will be increased by 500,000 from the existing 5 million, and the duration of support extended from five months to six months annually.

Currently, under the OMS and the Ministry of Food’s ‘Food Friendly Programme’, each enlisted family receives 30 kg of rice per month for five months. From the next fiscal year, this assistance will be extended to six months as part of the Food Security Programme, enhancing both coverage and duration to strengthen food support for vulnerable populations.

Majumder said the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) procures essential commodities from local markets and supplies them to the public at subsidised rates. Additionally, the government provides a large subsidy on rice distributed through the OMS channel.

He noted that the current foodgrain stock stands at over 1.46 million tonnes, including 1.14 million tonnes of rice and 305,880 tonnes of wheat. More wheat is expected to arrive soon, and a tender will be floated for additional imports.

The adviser stated that a strong Boro rice harvest this season will allow the government to avoid immediate rice imports. “We aim to procure 1.4 million tonnes of Boro rice domestically. If we reach that target, we won’t need to import rice for now,” he said.

He added that last season’s poor Aman yield had necessitated rice imports, but this year’s yield is favourable, reducing the need for external procurement.

On wheat, he said many in the middle class may not yet realise that it has become a staple alongside rice. Annual wheat demand in the country is around 7 million tonnes, of which only 1 million tonnes are produced locally. The rest is imported, mostly by private sector actors, with the government importing about 700,000 tonnes annually for OMS.

Majumder also addressed concerns about food shortages due to natural disasters, saying that even developed nations face such challenges. “Our responsibility is to stabilise the market and ensure adequate supply when needed,” he said.

He explained that rations for the armed forces, police, and prison authorities also come from the same food stocks. However, local wheat production alone cannot meet the demand. "Maintaining wheat supply through OMS is key to keeping market prices stable," he said.

Regarding rice imports, he noted that India remains the primary source for parboiled rice, which is not produced in nearby countries like Myanmar and Vietnam. Bangladesh imports Atap rice from Myanmar, Vietnam, and Pakistan, and efforts are underway to diversify import sources.

The government also imports wheat from Russia through government-to-government agreements and procures additional quantities via international tenders from various countries, excluding Israel.

On food safety, Majumder acknowledged that the Food Safety Authority’s activities are still limited but said steps are being taken to strengthen its role. Currently, licences for restaurants are issued by various authorities, including district commissioners and the Civil Aviation Ministry, but plans are underway to bring these processes under the Food Ministry or Food Safety Authority.

He said sanitary inspectors, previously under municipal control, are now under city corporations. A Food Safety Authority officer has been assigned to each district, and small laboratories have been set up to support food quality monitoring.

He acknowledged challenges in enforcing the Food Safety Act in rural areas. “A small trader in a village earning only Tk 150–200 a day cannot realistically be fined Tk 1,000. Many street food vendors are poor and provide low-cost food to consumers. Punitive actions could lead to price spikes, which would hurt ordinary people,” he said.

Majumder emphasised the need to balance regulatory enforcement with the country’s socio-economic realities and noted that full implementation of food safety measures will take time.

On storage capacity, he admitted that food procurement often exceeds godown capacity, causing stress. New warehouses are being constructed, and old ones are being renovated or rebuilt to improve the situation.

He also said rail transport is the most cost-effective way to distribute food, but challenges remain due to limited railway capacity and coordination issues.

To stabilise market prices, the government is currently distributing rice and flour under the Public Food Distribution (PFD) system. To make the programme more transparent, efficient, and people-friendly, the OMS Policy-2015 has been replaced by the updated OMS Policy-2024, which aims to streamline and strengthen the food distribution mechanism.