The government has approved separate proposals to procure rice, lentils, and sugar to meet national demand and stabilize the market. The decision was made during the 5th meeting of the Advisory Committee on Government Procurement (ACGP), held on Tuesday at the Cabinet Division conference room in the Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Advisor to the Ministry of Finance.

Following the meeting, Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed stated that the committee approved the proposals to stabilize the supply of essential commodities such as rice, sugar, and lentils. He emphasized that the government aims to ensure a steady supply in the market, particularly during the upcoming month of Ramadan, and will continue to monitor the market closely to prevent disruptions.

Under a proposal from the Ministry of Food, the government will procure 100,000 metric tons of non-basmati parboiled rice from the Vietnam Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood II) under a government-to-government (G2G) agreement. The cost of this procurement will amount to BDT 578.58 crore, with the price per metric ton set at USD 474.25.

Additionally, based on a proposal from the Ministry of Commerce, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will purchase 10,000 metric tons of sugar locally through an open tender process (OTM). The sugar will be procured from City Sugar Industries Limited at a total cost of BDT 115.42 crore, with the price per kilogram calculated at BDT 115.42.

In another proposal from the Ministry of Commerce, TCB will also procure 10,000 metric tons of lentils locally under the OTM system. The lentils will be supplied by Sheikh Agro Food Industries at a total cost of BDT 98.45 crore, with the price per kilogram amounting to BDT 98.45.

The government is taking these steps to maintain market stability and ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential goods, especially as the demand for these items typically increases during Ramadan.