For the first time, the government has given the Food Ministry special permission to export 50,000 tonnes of coarse rice to Sri Lanka.
The government would allow the export on a test basis, while a ban on export of non-fragrant rice will remain in force until June 2015.
After a meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs, Finance Minister AMA Muhith disclosed the decision.
“We have taken it as a test case at the request of the Sri Lankan government because Sri Lanka is our friendly country,” he said.
“We have enough stock of rice which now stands at 11 lakh tonnes. There is no crisis of rice in the country,” he added.
The price of coarse rice had not been fixed yet, Muhith said, adding that a Sri Lankan team would come to Bangladesh and discuss the price of rice.
Muhith pointed out that the Sri Lankan government was not sitting idle as it was now trying to import rice from different countries at cheap rate.
While giving an explanation for rice export as Bangladesh imported six lakh tonnes of rice in last six months, the minister said the government would export rice if the stock of rice was higher than local demand. “Food inflation is stable now.”
He added: “We have taken liberal steps according to the global free market economic policy.”
Joint Secretary of Cabinet Division Mustafizur Rahman said in case of coarse rice export, the government relaxed the ban on export of non-fragrant rice which remains in force until June 2015.
