1cr people to get special cards to buy essentials: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the government will provide special cards to one crore people so that they can purchase some essential commodities at lower prices.

“We’ve targeted one crore people. We will provide them with special cards so that they can buy some essential items at fair prices,” she said while chairing a meeting of the Awami League-led 14-party alliance at her official residence Ganobhaban in Dhaka.

Sheikh Hasina, also Awami League president, said the government is taking measures to keep the prices of daily essentials under control during the upcoming Ramadan.

She said some 50 lakh people have already been given the cards to buy rice at Tk 10 per kg.

“We’ll extend support to additional one crore people by providing special cards,” she said.

The prime minister said the 38 lakh people who got financial support from the government during the Covid-19 pandemic will be included in the one crore people.

Noting that the government has enough food in stocks, she said there are still 18 lakh metric tonnes of food grains in stock and there is no problem regarding the issue.

Sheikh Hasina urged the people of the country to increase crops production.

“Not even a small piece of land should be left uncultivated in order to fulfil our food demand,” she said.