The government has asked the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh to include about 10 lakh readymade garments workers in its subsidised food items distribution programme to one crore card holders.
A meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs presided over by finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed at secretariat took the decision on Wednesday while reviewing a proposal by the commerce ministry.
The finance adviser told reporters that inclusion of the RMG workers in the ongoing TCB programme was possible since the issuance of one crore cards was yet to be completed.
Under the Smart Family Card programme, the TCB has been selling rice, edible oils, lentil and sugar at subsidised rates to low-income groups against the backdrop of high inflation prevailing over the past two years.
The adviser said that more groups would be included in the programme.
The RMG workers of the apparel hubs at Tongi, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Ashulia and Savar will be brought under the programme by the TCB soon, said officials attending the meeting.
The officials said that the inclusion of RMG workers would cost the government about Tk 31 crore monthly.
The finance adviser also presided over a meeting of the cabinet committee on government purchase and approved separate proposals to procure some 55 lakh litres of soya bean oil, 60,000 tonnes of fertiliser and 50,000 tonnes of wheat.
The committee also approved separate proposals to procure 20,000 tonnes of sugar and 20,000 tonnes of lentil.
The finance adviser said that they preferred procuring essential food items.
Answering to a question regarding volatility in prices of essential food items, the finance adviser said that the consumers were getting the comfort because of increased market monitoring.
The approvals from the cabinet committee on government purchase, the TCB will procure 55 lakh litres of soya bean oil to be supplied by Basundhara Multi Food Products with per litre costing Tk 166.
Meghna Sugar Refinery Ltd will supply sugar to TCB-- 10,000 tonnes each in two lots with per kilogramme costing Tk 116.85 and 115.85 respectively.
Nabil Naba Foods Ltd will supply lentil to TCB-- 10,000 tonnes each in two lots with per kilogramme costing Tk 97.22 and Tk 97.97 respectively.
M/S Agrocorp International Pte Ltd will supply the wheat to the food ministry with per tonne costing $286.08.
The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation will purchase 30,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company with per tonne costing $335.62 and the same amount of urea from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia with each tonne costing $346.75.
The finance adviser said that they approved purchase of 15 lakh booklets and 15 lakh lamination foils at Tk 61.20 crore from HID CID Limited of England to meet the shortage of passport books badly needed by expatriate Bangladeshis for renewal of passports.
The adviser said that approval was also given to purchase books for students of Class VIII for the next year.
