BDR will sell coarse ncc at an increased rate of Tk 30 per Kg at all its fair price outlets in the capital from next Tuesday after the govern-ment's safety net programmes ended yesterday.

Rice was being sold at the subsidised price of Tk 25 per kg at all government outlets until yesterday.

Meanwhile, the BDR fair price shops in the city witnessed a surge of customers as word spread of the shops' closure for the next four days,

Col Mujibul Haq, BDR commander of Dhaka, told The Daily Star that the government, after a long period of subsidised sales, has stopped the subsidy to the BDR markets temporarily

"We have decided to purchase-rice from the markets now and sell it at a increased rate. atTk 30 per kg.

BDR shops will remain shut till Monday for the necessary administrative and other works," he explained.

BDR shops sold 450 tonnes of coarse rice each day, six days a week, in their 75 outlets in Dhaka, benefiting around 1.5 lakh, people each day. Each person was allowed to buy three kg rice at a time.

BDR outlets at Zakir Hossain Road, Salimullah Road and Link road at Mohammadpur, Indira Road in Farmgate, Agargoan in the city saw a huge rush of people.

Hundreds of people were seen waiting for hours together in the long queues at outlets in Zakir Hossain Road, Salimullah Road, l ink Road and Indira Road. A good number of people also had to return empty handed after the rice stock ran out

though notices were seen displayed regarding the closure of shops for four days, there was no

mention of the increase in rice price from next Tuesday.

Mayna Bibi, 60, a resident of Peerer Bagh, Mirpur, came to the Indira road shop after queuing at the shop in Taltola, Agargaon for two hours without getting any rice.

The elderly woman said she queues at the shops for her family members who work throughout the day.

Mayna Bibi, standing behind at least 200 women in the queue, with only 30 minutes to go before closure time wondered if she would get any rice from here either.

R a h i m a Begum, from Mohammadpur embankment slum, was able to buy rice at the Link Road BDR outlet after queuing for 4 hours. A visibly exhausted Rahima said. "I wasn't planning to come today but rushed when I heard about the closure of the shop."