State Minister for Food Abdul Bari on Sunday said the government remains committed to ensuring food security for the poorest segments of society through various subsidised programmes.

Responding to a written question from opposition MP Obaidullah Salafi (Nilphamari-3) in Parliament, he said under the food-friendly programme, 5.5 million families in 495 upazilas are receiving 30 kg of rice per month at Tk 15 per kg for six months annually (August-November and March-April).

For the 2025-26 fiscal year, a total of 10 lakh metric tons of rice has been allocated for the programme. As of March 19, around 7.93 lakh metric tons – about 79.25% of the allocation – has already been distributed.

In addition, the government is supplying 3.07 lakh metric tons of fortified rice enriched with Vitamin A, B1, B12, B9 (folic acid), iron and zinc to beneficiaries in 248 upazilas over five months to address nutritional needs.

To stabilise market prices for low-income groups, the minister said.

To ensure food security of the low-income population through market price control, Abdul Bari said the government is operating the Open Market Sale (OMS) programme across the country.

Under the OMS (General) programme, 1,091 sales centres in 12 city corporations, 14 labour-intensive districts and 52 district town-based municipalities are selling 1,185 metric tons of rice and 1,432 metric tons of flour daily at subsidised rates –  Tk 30 per kg for rice, Tk 24 for 2 kg of loose flour and Tk 55 for 2 kg of packaged flour.

In addition, as a special programme to control the high price of rice, 406 metric tons of rice are being sold daily in the upazila markets through 836 sales centres in 418 upazilas at a price of Tk 30 per kg.

In the fiscal year 2025-26, there is a budget of 3 lakh metric tons of rice and 5.25 lakh metric tons of wheat in the OMS. Till March 19, some 2.09 lakh metric tons of rice and 3.27 lakh metric tons of wheat flour have been sold (which is about 70% of the allocated budget).

The state minister also said in view of the demand of the Ministry of Commerce, the Food Department is selling 33,833 metric tons of rice to 67,66,667 families through TCB at a price of Tk 30 per kg every month.