Food Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan yesterday in formed the Jatiya Sangsad that the government had taken var ious steps including mtrodiic lion of open market sale (OMS) of rice and Hour to sta bilise the prices of loOdgrains repons BSS
Replying to a question- from M Golam Rabbani (Joypurhail the minister said OMS has al readv been started in some ar eas and it will cover the whole country within a day or two
He further said the gov ernment also has taken tnitia tlves to import foodgrains as well as encourage two private
sector to do so Import dun on • Ke has tieen withdrawn and it has been reduced from 15 per cent tv 7 5 per cent on what He said movement of vehicles carrying foodgraius has been given priority and the provi sion for radiation tests on nee has been withdrawn if its is imported truin Asian countries
In reply to anotlier question from M Niainal UHah (Dhaka) the minister said present stuck of lotxigrains with the government was 6 74 lakh tonnes which was 18 lliousand tonnes less than the stock in i he corresponding period List war
In reply to another question from Sarder Sakhawat Hossain Baku! INarsmgdil Bhuiyan said lhe government has a plan to import two lakh tonnes of rice in the 1994 95 financial year
In reply to a supplementary hr sard Bangladesh embassies In India. Pakistan Myanmar and Vietnam have already con traded at the government level to arrange purchase of rice from these countries and finally It has been agree that 25JXX) tonnes rice will be Im ported from India and Vietnam
In reply to another supple mentary the Food Minister
said that there was enougn wdieat in the country and the shortage of rice has already been overcome The government is also considering total withdrawal of the remaining 7 5 per cent import duty on wheal to encourage private sector Import, he added
He further said there were enough foodgratns at the public and private godown* If some traders try to manipulate the market price by resorting to hoarding and treatton of ar tificlal crisis then the goy ernment may consider rein troducuon of foodgrain trading licence* he cautioned.