The Ministry of Food has been chosen for "Bangabandhu Public Administration Award 2023" for its significant contribution. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the award officially on July 31, said a letter signed by senior secretary of the Public Administration Ministry, Mohammad Mejbah Uddin Chowdhury. Standard Chartered Bank clinches “Best International Bank in Bangladesh” award According to the letter, “It also congratulated all involved in the government's massive financial savings initiative in social security activities by reforming policies and procedures through using digital systems." 9 Bangladeshi youths get conferred with prestigious Diana Award 2023

The government launched drives across the country against illegal rice hoarders from Tuesday, said the Food Ministry. Eight teams of the ministry started the drives to detect those who are involved in creating artificial crisis by hoarding rice illegally and they will take legal steps against them, according to an official release. Also read: Cabinet orders prompt action against rice hoarders The decision was taken at a meeting with Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder in the chair, held at the Secretariat. The meeting also decided to send letters to the deputy commissioners, upazila nirbahi officers, National Security Intelligence, Rapid Action Battalion and Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection to tackle the crisis created by illegal hoarding of rice. The Food Ministry also opened a control room and people have been requested to inform them about illegal rice hoarding by making phone call on +88022233802113, 01790499942 and 01713003506. The Cabinet on Monday directed the relevant authorities to find out why the rice price is so high during the peak harvest season. Also read:Strict action if anyone tries to destabilise rice market: Food Minister The directive came from the Cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office. The meeting decided to conduct drives against illegal rice hoarders like the recent drives carried out against the edible oil hoarders in the country, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved a Tk 1400-crore project to construct 30 modern silos, aiming to increase the overall paddy storage capacity by 1.5 lakh metric tons in the country. The approval came from an Ecnec meeting held virtually with its Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Hasina joined the meeting from Ganobhaban, while ministers and officials concerned attended it from the NEC conference room. The meeting approved a total of 10 projects involving the overall estimated cost of Tk 6,651.34 crore, said Planning Minister MA Mannan while briefing reporters after the meeting. “Of the cost, Tk 5,219.81 crore will come from the state coffer while Tk 794.03 crore from the own funds of the organisations concerned and Tk 637.50 crore from foreign sources,” he said. About the silo project, he said 30 steel silos would be constructed initially and later its number will be increased. Paddy drying and preservation and other relevant facilities will be there in each 5000-MT modern silo, according to the factsheet provided by the Planning Commission. Read: Ecnec rejects Tk 17,290-cr primary school meal project The main objectives of the project are to raise the storage capacity by 1.5 lakh metric tons under the government management, provide farmers with fair prices through direct procurement of their rice, incorporate modern technology in the government’s food management, maintain the nutritious standard of grains for 2-3 years without using pesticide. The Directorate General of Food under the Food Ministry will implement the project in 30 upazilas under 24 districts at an estimated cost of Tk 1400.22 crore by June 2023. The selected upazilas or pourashavas where these silos will be constructed are Katiadi, Mirzapur, Tangail Sadar, Faridpur Sadar, Haluaghat, Melandah, Sreebardi, Brahmanbaria Sadar, Noakhali Sadar, Cumilla Sadar, Dinajpur Sadar, Birol, Thakurgaon Sadar, Boda, Hatibandha, Shibpur, Raninagar, Ishwardi, Nandigram, Sherpur, Khetlal, Kanaighat, Shayestaganj, Sunamganj Sadar, Narail Sadar, Kumarkhali, Charfashion, Patuakhali Sadar and Kalapara. Mannan said the Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to construct such modern silos in the country’s southern region, especially in Bhola, Patuakhali and Barguna as the production of food grains is high there. The Prime Minister emphasised the practice of tissue culture in the country on potato seeds, vegetables and other crops to improve the quality of production and thus attain self-sufficiency in food. Read: Ecnec approves Sasec Dhaka-Sylhet Corridor project During the approval of the 1st revision of BPATC’s Enhancing Training Capacity with an additional cost of Tk 348.61 crore, the Prime Minister stressed the need for extending the length of foundation (training) courses to 10 months instead of 2 to 3 months. In reply to a question, the planning minister said the government is likely to conduct a perception survey again to determine the impacts of Covid-19. Talking about the approval of construction of river port at Chilmari (Ramna, Jorgach, Rajibpur, Roumari and Noyahut) with Tk 235.59 crore, Mannan said the project in Chilmari would ultimately boost trade and commerce with the neighboring countries. The other approved projects are the construction of Nolua-Baherchar 1.3-km bridge over the Pandab-Paira River on Lakshmipasha-Dumki Road in Barishal with the estimated cost of Tk 1,023.50 crore; Upgrading of Modhupur-Mymensingh national highway with Tk 1,107.17 crore; modernisation and expansion of Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons with around Tk 215.43 crore; and protection of right embankment of the River Jamuna near Brahmangram-Hatpachil and adjacent areas under Shahzadpur upazila in Sirajganj and strengthening of Betil Spur-1 and Enayetpur Spur-2 with Tk 647.49 crore. The remaining projects are the rehabilitation of Tangon barrage, Buri embankment and Bhulli embankment irrigation project under Thakurgaon district, riverbank protection and integrated water control infrastructure construction with around Tk 296.36 crore; Agriculture seed development and expansion through bio technology with Tk 72.35 crore; and Construction of Bakhrabad-Meghnaghat-Haripur gas transmission pipeline with Tk 1,304.62 crore.

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase approved seven proposals including the import of liquified natural gas (LNG) from a Swiss company and rice from an Indian company. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting. State-owned Petrobangla, under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, will import the 3.360 million MMBtus of LNG from AOT Trading AG, Switzerland at a cost of Tk 243.3 crore with per MMBtu price at $7.2855. Also read: Purchase body okays 6 proposals including import of LNG, rice The Directorate General of Food under the Food Ministry will import 50,000 metric tonnes of non-bashmoti parboiled rice from PK Agri Link Private Ltd, India, at cost of Tk 174.65 crore, with per MT price at $411.93. Meanwhile, the Cabinet committee approved a proposal of the Roads and Highways Department to award Tk 103.37 crore contract to the Joint Venture of Reliable Builders Ltd, Md Moyenuddin (Bashi) Limited and Orient Trading & Builders Ltd, for implementing package No-WP-02 of the project on Improvement of Shariatpur (Monohar Bazar)-Ibrahimpur Road upto Ferry Ghat. The committee approved awarding Tk 106.84 crore contract to the Joint Venture of Md Badrul Iqbal Ltd, Hassan Techno Builders Ltd, and Oyster Construction and Shipping Company Ltd, for implementing the works of the package WP-03 of the same project.  Also read: Govt to import 3.5 lakh MT more rice Another project of the Roads and Highways Department received approval of the committee to award a contract of Tk 788.38 crore to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, India, for implementing the package No-WP-03 for upgrading Ashuganj Riverport-Sarai’s-Dharkhar-Akhawra Highway into four lanes and its maintenance work.  The committee approved a proposal of Tk 243.18 crore of the Bridge Authority under the Bridges Division to award a contract for appointing consultant for conducting feasibility study about construction of bridges on Shariatpur-Chandpur Highway and Gazaria Munshiganj Road for crossing the Meghna River to connect Chandpur and Shariatpur districts. Also read: Cabinet purchase body nods import of rice, fertiliser, petroleum A Joint Venture of Tecnica Y Proyectos SA (TYPSA), Spain, Nippon Koei Co Ltd, Japan, DOHWA Engineering Co Ltd, South Korea, Development Design Consultants Ltd Bangladesh, BCL Associates Ltd, Bangladesh and Dev Consultants Ltd, Bangladesh, won the contract.  The committee approved a proposal of Public Works Department for re-evaluation of the tender proposal for the work package of WD-01 of the Khulna Development Authority’s Khulna Shipyard Road Widening and Development Works by cancelling the recommendation of Tender Evaluation Committee (TEC).  

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday approved six proposals, including import of 50,000 metric tonnes of rice.  Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting.   Rice import has been dominating as a regular agenda in the purchase body meeting since the beginning of 2021.  Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Sahida Akter, while briefing on the purchase committee meeting outcomes, said that the Directorate General of Food under the Food Ministry will import the 50,000MT non-bashmoti parboiled rice from Bagadiya Brothers Private Ltd of India at a cost of Tk 176.38 crore.  Also read: Purchase body okays 6 proposals including import of LNG, rice Each MT will cost $416, Akter added.  The committee approved a proposal of the state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to import 100,000MT crude oil from PT Bumi Siak Pusaku (BSP) Zapin of Indonesia under a government-to-government contract at a cost of Tk 431.14 crore for Bashundhara Bitumen/Asphalt production plant in Keraniganj. About the proposal, BPC Director (operation and planning) Syed Mehedi Hasan said the state-owned petroleum body will import the proposed crude oil for the private bitumen plant under a contract with the Bashundhara Oil and Gas Company Ltd.  Also read: Govt to import 3.5 lakh MT more rice A proposal of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Industries Ministry received the nod of the Cabinet committee to purchase 30,000MT bagged granular urea fertiliser from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company (Kafco) at a cost of Tk 90.59 crore.  The Cabinet body approved another proposal of the BCIC to import Reformed Gas Waste Heat Boiler and associated equipment from BORSIG Process Heat Exchange GmbH, Germany, at a cost of Tk 56.65 crore through direct procurement method.  The committee approved a proposal of the Roads and Highways Department under the Road Transport and Highways Division to extend the contract of the Computer Network System Limited as service provider for six months up to September 30, 2021 for collecting tolls from Meghna Bridge and Gomti Bridge on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway at cost of Tk 35.57 crore. Also read: Cabinet purchase body nods import of rice, fertiliser, petroleum A proposal of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) under the Ministry of Shipping was approved to purchase 10 bollard pull tugboats with spare parts, each having 12 tons capacity, from Dockyard and Engineering Works at Tk 166.97 crore through direct purchase method.

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase has approved 12 procurement proposals including the import of rice, fertiliser and petroleum.

The government has planned to import rice, if needed, by reducing import duty to keep its market stable and prevent price manipulation.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder has directed to accelerate the work of various ongoing projects under the ministry.

The government will procure some 11.5 lakh metric tonnes of rice (boiled and non-boiled) and eight lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the current Boro season.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Wednesday directed to ensure health tests for all agricultural workers who came to Naogaon for harvesting paddy.