STAR BUSINESS REPORT

Bangladesh has recently received 26,250 tonnes of atap rice purchased from Pakistan under a government-to-government deal.

“Atap rice” or “sunned rice” refers to a type of rice that is not parboiled, meaning it has not been steamed or boiled with the husk on.

This is the last batch of 50,000 tonnes of rice purchased through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Directorate General of Food, Bangladesh and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan on January 31, said a press release. A ship named MV Mariam, carrying the 26,250 tonnes of atap rice, arrived at the outer anchorage of the Chattogram port on March 11. It berthed at a port jetty on Friday, port officials said.

After quality tests of samples collected from the ship, unloading of the rice started on Friday evening, said Gnana Priya Bidurshi Chakma, controller of movement and storage at Chattogram under the Directorate General of Food.

Bangladesh on March 5 received 26,250 tonnes of atap rice in the first batch under the deal.

The rice cost $499 per tonne as per the agreement, food officials informed. This is the first ever purchase of rice from Pakistan under a government-to-government deal since the Liberation War in 1971.