Bangladesh to import 10 lakh metric tonnes rice

Dhaka, Nov 26 (UNI) Bangladesh will have to import about 10 lakh metric tonnes of rice as the current food stock will shrink from March, Food and Disaster Management Secretary Mohammad Ayub Mia said here today.

Mr Mia requested the donor countries to give aid in terms of food, saying those who wanted to donate rice to Bangladesh should buy it from outside market instead of local market.

''If they buy rice from local market, it would affect the government food stock,'' he said, adding the current stock was 7.35 lakh metric tonnes.

Indian High Commissioner Pinak Chakrabaorty informed him in person that the Indian government had removed restrictions on import of 50,000 metric tonnes of Indian rice from Bangladesh.

India would donate 40,000 metric tonnes of rice and 10,000 metric tonnes of wheat worth 22 million dollars. Besides, 1000 metric tonnes of milk powder and relief goods including ready-to-eat food worth 1 million pounds would also be given, Mr Chakrobarty informed.

The death toll from super cyclone SIDR has reached 3,161 today after the compilation of new casualty figure from one of worst hit district of Barguna.

Mr Mia said some 880 people were still missing following the cyclone that battered the country's 15 coastal districts.

UNI