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Import of 4 Lakh Tonnes of Rice from India

Talks resume to decide on delivery time

Star Report
For the third time, food ministry officials started negotiations with an Indian delegation in the city yesterday on the import of 4 lakh tonnes of rice from India, but they failed to reach any decision on delivery time.
Sources said Bangladesh was sticking to the position that India should deliver rice within 30 to 60 days, but the Indian side said they would be able to deliver the rice within 90 to 120 days.
The unport of one lakh tonnes of rice at the government level is likely to start through Benapole land port next week, a correspondent from Benapole reported.
Meanwhile, the Benapole customs authorities instructed the port authorities to keep die port open today and tomorrow -- the weekly holidays -- to facilitate the import and delivery of rice, sugar and onion through Benapole land port.
The meeting between the food ministry officials and Indian delegation was held at the food directorate.
They will sit again on Sunday to finalise the decision on rice delivery time.
Once the two parties agree on timeframe for delivery of rice from India, they will fix die price, sources said.
When contacted, Director General of die Food Directorate Pius Costa said there has been nothing concrete yet to announce.
llahi Dad Khan, a director of die Food Directorate, told reporters that Bangladesh was giving more impor -tance to the issue of delivery time, since delay in the delivery of rice will not have any positive impact.
In response. Indian delegates said dicy will examine the issue and give their decision at Sunday's meeting, he added.
DPS Narang of Project Equipment and Commodities Limited led the six-member Indian delegation and Pius Costa led the Bangladesh side in yesterday's meeting.
A correspondent from Benapole reports: A total of 1100 tonnes of rice was imported through Benapole
land port yesterday, raising the total import at private level to 6750 tonnes in the last three days.
Customs officials are checking every rice-laden truck to ensure that no rotten rice enters Bangladesh.
Our correspondent in Satkhira reported that 201 trucks carrying 2,201 tonnes of imported rice from India entered Bangladesh through Bhomra land port yesterday.
Bhomra Land port customs superintendent Fazlul Haque Mondal said die rest of the imported rice is expected to enter Bangladesh through the port within a couple of days.
Meanwhile. 500 tonnes of rice imported from India through Benapole land port arrived in Badamtoli market in Dhaka, raising hope of reduction in rice prices.
The rice price in the city mar-kets, however, remained unchanged as of yesterday. The coarse rice prices ranged from Tk 33 toTk36 a kilogram.
More Indian rice is on the way to the city markets, traders said.