RANGPUR, April 1, 2020 (BSS) – The food-friendly program of the government
continues smoothly, now benefiting 8.47-lakh poor families providing them 30
kg of rice each at Taka 10 per kg amid coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in
Rangpur division.
“The rice at Taka 10 per kg is helping the poor families of all 534 unions
in 58 upazilas of eight districts in Rangpur division amid joblessness
situation caused by the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Rangpur Regional Controller
of Food Md. Abdus Salam.
The Department of Food (DoF) already completed selling of 25,411 tonnes of
rice for March under the program and will do the same for April to make rice
available for the ultra poor at a very lower price.
Each card holder family is getting 30 kg rice monthly at Taka 10 per kg
for March and April when the other jobless, needy, Dalits and ethnic minority
community people are getting special food assistance of the government amid
COVID-19 situation.
“The rice is being sold at Taka 10 per kg for five months starting March
and April in the first phase and September, October and November in the
second phase annually among the poor who are not beneficiaries of other
social safety-net programs,” Salam said.
The 8.47-lakh card holder beneficiary families of Rangpur division are
getting rice at Taka 10 per kg through 1,473 appointed village ration dealers
under the epoch-making food friendly programme.
“Preparation has been completed to sell rice at Taka 10 per kg for April,”
Salam said, adding that stern actions would be taken for malpractice and
irregularities, if any.
Talking to BSS, many card holder beneficiary families of Saddyapuskorini,
Chandanpat and Haridebpur unions of Rangpur Sadar upazila expressed their
gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after getting 30 kg of rice at Taka
10 per kg in March.
Poor labourers Mostafa Kamal, Ashraful Islam and Manju Mian of village
Keshobpur and Motiar Rahman, Marjina Begum and Ansarul Mian of village Fazil
Khan in Saddyapuskorini union said they got the rice for March and will soon
get for April.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain said
selling of rice at Taka 10 per kg among the poor is largely assisting them at
this special condition due to COVID-19 situation in Rangpur division.