Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the Food Ministry to import additional food grains from countries other than the usual ones in order to ensure food security in the country. The PM provided the directive at a cabinet meeting held at her office today (September 4, 2022). Cabinet Secretary  Khondker Anwarul Islam confirmed the development at a briefing held after the meeting. “We’ve signed agreements with five countries, namely Russia, India, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, to import food grains. At today’s meeting, the PM has told us to keep some other sources ready so that no complexities arise at the last moment,” said the Cabinet Secretary. Read: Bangladesh is building a modern transport system: PM Anwarul added that there is no problem in importing food from Russia.   “According to the Food Ministry, the country’s current stock of food grains is more than 19 lakh metric tons. We’re in a comfortable situation in terms of the speculated food crisis in November,” added the Cabinet Secretary.

The government will procure a total of 8.50 lakh metric tonnes of food grains from the marginal farmers across the country in the upcoming Aman season.