Under the government’s open tender agreement, the second shipment of 27,000 tons of rice will arrive tomorrow at Chattogram port in Bangladesh, from Kakinada port of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Amid harvest season, the rice prices have continued to rise, contrary to the expectations of the interim government. To control the prices, the authorities have decided to import 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati parboiled rice from India.

The first shipment, which included 24,690 tonnes of parboiled rice from India, arrived at Chattogram Port on December 26.

Earlier, the cabinet committee on economic affairs of Bangladesh approved a policy proposal to import 600,000 tonnes of rice from foreign sources in fiscal year 2024-25, on national emergencies and public interest.

The authorities later floated an international tender to import 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati parboiled rice, prompting six bidders to participate.

An Indian exporter, Bagadiya Brothers Private Limited, secured the contract as the lowest bidder.

This marks the first rice supply order from India since the formation of the interim government after the student uprising on Aug 5.

Published Date: January 10, 2025