Our Correspondent :
Rice prices have gone up in Ishwardi market. Very low quality rice and flour are being sold at 45 and 30 rupees per kg. In this situation, low-income people are running to the dealers selling rice and flour in the open market (OMS) at a fair price under the Department of Food. So shoppers are standing in long lines at OMS stores to buy rice and flour. This line has been seen in 4 dealer shops in Ishradi municipal area.
To ensure food security, the government has started simultaneous sale of rice and flour in the open market (OMS) at four points in Ishwardi municipal area from July 25 at Post Office Junction, Akbar Junction, Pierpur and SM School and College areas. Standing in a long line, low-income people are buying these two food products. At this time it is not possible to maintain social distance.
According to the office of the Thana Thadya Controller, 1,500 kg of rice and 1,000 kg of flour are being distributed to each dealer for the OMS program every day except Friday. This activity will continue till 7th August. Rice is being sold at Tk. 30 per kg and flour at Tk. 18 per kg. Anyone can buy five kg of rice or flour per person from OMS shop.
Anwarul Islam Ratan, dealer of OMS in SM School and College area, said the quality of rice and flour is very good. Low-income people are reluctant to buy rice and flour at higher prices in the market. So they are crowding to the MS dealer. The demand is too high. Sales start at 10 am. The sale is ending within a few hours of the start. Demand is five times higher than allocation. He said it was important to increase the allocation to cope with the pressure.
Zarina Begum, who came to the center to buy rice flour, said the price of rice in the market is high. Rice and flour are available here at a slightly lower price. So I stood in line.
Saiful Islam, the driver of the van, said there was no rent on the road in Lockdown. There is no income. There is no relief in rice-flour market. So I came here to buy rice.
