DHAKA: Food Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak Saturday said the price of rice would come down before the holy month of Ramadan, as the government plans market intervention against price fixing.

“The government has taken all-out preparations to keep the price of rice within the purchasing capacity of people,” said the minister while inaugurating a motivation course on ‘Scouting to face disaster’ at the Bangladesh Scouts headquarters at Kakrail.

Razzak said 50,000 tonnes of imported rice has been unloaded in Chittagong Port and additional 125,000 tonnes rice will reach Bangladesh soon.

The Food Minister hoped that wheat would be sold at less than Tk 20 per kilo as government will import 450,000 tonnes of wheat.

“Open-market sale (OMS) will also be introduced before the Ramadan”, said Razzak, detailing the food-rationing plan.

The minister also said the government would feed one crore families, particularly in ‘haor’ and disaster-affected areas, during the month of fasting and festivals under vulnerable group feeding (VGF) recipe.

A total of 50 Rover Scouts and 10 Scout officers took part in the course. Another 10 courses would take place in the next two months.

BDST: 1745 HRS, JULY 17, 2010