Prices of ration rice, wheat rise 800pc after 33 years

The prices of rice and wheat, distributed as ration items at subsidized rates to officers and employees of 10 government institutions including the Bangladesh Police and the Armed Forces, have been increased up to 800 percent. The Ministry of Finance has set the price of these items. This decision will be effective from July 1. Through this decision of the government, the price of ration products increased after 33 years. Earlier, the government last fixed the prices of ration products in 1991.

According to the circular, the price of ration rice and wheat will be 20 percent of the economic value of these two products. According to this, the price of ration rice at Tk 11 per kg and wheat at Tk 12 per kg. The current ration prices range from Tk 1.09 to Tk 2.10 per kg, depending on the institution.

The Ministry of Finance informed that from now on, the economic value of these products based on the market price including transportation, storage and supply costs.

When queried about the economic prices for the upcoming fiscal year, finance department officials were unable to provide detailed information. However, it has been calculated that rice and wheat are valued at Tk 55,000 and Tk 60,000 per tonne respectively. In the current fiscal year, the economic values were Tk 51,894 per tonne for rice and Tk 47,302 per tonne for wheat.

At present, various levels of officials and employees of 10 government institutions are getting ration facilities. The institutions are – Special Security Force (SSF), Directorate of National Security Intelligence (NSI), the Armed Forces division (Army, Navy, and Air Force), Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Directorate of Ansar and Village Defense Party, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Prisons Directorate, Department of Fire Service and Civil Defense and Department of Narcotics Control.

Apart from rice and wheat or flour, sugar, lentil and soybean oil are also given as rations at affordable prices in these institutions. However, Finance Division officials could not confirm whether prices of these items would increase. According to the organization, a family of four members gets 35 kg of rice and 30 kg of wheat flour at the rate of Tk 1.9 to Tk 2.10 per month. Apart from this, they get 5 kg of sugar at the rate of Tk 3 per kg, 8 kg of lentils at the rate of Tk 1.20 per kg and 8 liters of soybean oil at the rate of Tk 2.30 per liter.

Depending on the size of the family, each officer-employee getting this ration benefit . Even after retirement, they enjoy this benefit for lifetime. Due to increase in price of rice and wheat, the amount of subsidy will decrease slightly. In the proposed budget of the next financial year, an allocation of 7,360 crores has been kept for food subsidy.