A special Open Market Sale (OMS) programme for readymade garment (RMG) workers was launched on Friday, offering rice at Tk 30 per kg to help reduce their food expenses and ensure access to affordable food.

Under the programme, each garment worker can purchase up to 10 kg of rice per month at the subsidised price of Tk 30 per kg, said a PID handout.

The initiative has been taken in line with the government's priority of ensuring food security for low-income people and reducing their cost of living, following the BNP's election manifesto that pledged to strengthen social protection for marginalised and low-income groups and make financial assistance and essential food items more accessible to them.

Initially, rice is being sold through 66 truck-sale points in Dhaka city, Savar, Dhamrai, Gazipur, Narayanganj and different areas of Chattogram district, including Chattogram city.

Each truck carries five metric tonnes of rice, and a total of 330 metric tonnes is being sold every Friday. The programme will continue until further instructions.

Of the total allocation, 30 metric tonnes are being sold through six truck-sale points in Dhaka city, 40 metric tonnes through eight points in Savar, 10 metric tonnes through two points in Dhamrai, 150 metric tonnes through 30 points in Gazipur, 50 metric tonnes through 10 points in Narayanganj and 50 metric tonnes through 10 points in Chattogram.

Rice is sold in two shifts every Friday. The first shift runs from 10:00am to 12:30pm, while the second operates from 2:30pm to 5:00pm, subject to the availability of stocks.

Garment workers concerned can purchase rice under the programme by showing their respective factory identity cards and signing the master roll.

The Directorate General of Food under the Ministry of Food is implementing the programme.