Flour packets under OMS from Oct 1

The government will start open market sale (OMS) of flour packets across the country from October 1, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said Tuesday.

The process of packaging flour for OMS has already started, he said at the ‘BSRF Dialogue’, organised by Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) at the Secretariat.

“Packed flour may cost a little more. However, it will be sold at half the price of the flour that is being sold in the market,” he added.

“We will allocate one tonne of flour per day to dealers in districts and city corporations for sale from October 1,” said the minister.

Besides, the shipping of imported wheat has also started, he added.

The food minister said the OMS activities will be carried out throughout the year to monitor the market.

He also said strict monitoring activities are being carried out to break syndicates in the rice market.

“There will be no rice called ‘Miniket’ in the market. A consumer rights campaign is already underway against the sale of this rice,” he said.

“From now on, the name of the rice variety must be mentioned on the sack,” said the minister, adding that the draft law in this regard has been sent to the cabinet.

Besides, he said the amount of the rice grain that can be cut will also be determined in that law.

Traders will not be able to manipulate if the law is implemented, he added.

The dialogue was presided over by BSRF President Tapan Biswas, moderated by general secretary Masudul Hoque.