BNP's election manifesto has pledged to ensure social protection for marginalized and low-income people and to make financial assistance and daily essential food items easily available for them. One of the priorities of the government led by Prime Minister Tareque Rahman is to make food easily accessible to low-income people and to take effective initiatives to reduce their cost of living. In continuation of that, this special OMS programme has been launched for workers in the ready-made garment industry.
Initially, this rice is being sold through a total of 66 truck sales in Dhaka metropolitan area, Savar, Dhamrai, Gazipur, Narayanganj and various areas of Chattogram district, including Chattogram metropolitan area. A total of 330 metric tons of rice will be sold every Friday, at 5 metric tons per truck. This programme will continue until further instructions are given.
Under this programme, 30 metric tons of rice is being sold through 6 truck sales in Dhaka metropolitan area, 40 metric tons through 8 truck sales in Savar, 10 metric tons through 2 truck sales in Dhamrai, 150 metric tons through 30 truck sales in Gazipur, 50 metric tons through 10 truck sales in Narayanganj and 50 metric tons through 10 truck sales in Chattogram.
The rice sale operation will be conducted in two phases every Friday. In the first phase, rice will be sold from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm, and in the second phase from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm (subject to stock availability).
Workers of the relevant ready-made garment industries can collect rice at affordable prices under this programme by showing their respective institution's identity card and signing the master roll.
This operation is being implemented under the overall management of the Directorate General of Food under the Ministry of Food. To ensure transparency, accountability and proper implementation of the programme, separate monitoring teams of the Ministry of Food and the Directorate General of Food are inspecting and supervising the operation on the ground. In addition, one supervising officer is on duty at all times against each truck.
On the first day of the special OMS programme, from this morning, spontaneous attendance of ready-made garment industry workers has been observed at each designated truck-sale point. Workers are collecting rice in an orderly manner by showing identity cards of their respective institutions and signing the master roll. It is expected that this programme will reduce the food expenses of ready-made garment industry workers to some extent and play a positive role in ensuring their food security.
