The government has started selling rice at a subsidised rate of Tk30 per kg under the additional Open Market Sale (OMS) program in 419 upazilas to stabilise rice prices and provide price support to people.

Under the program, one ton of rice will be distributed in each upazila.

The additional OMS program will operate alongside the regular OMS, said a PID handout.

Currently, under the regular OMS program, 1,417.5 tons of flour (Tk24 per kg for loose flour and Tk55 for a 2-kg packet) and 1,175 tons of rice per day are sold in 1,081 centres in  12 city corporations, 52 district municipal areas, 15 labour-intensive upazilas, and five labour-intensive municipalities at subsidised rates of Tk30 per kilogram.

Although there is adequate food stock, some areas of the country have recently seen a sporadic rise in the price of fine rice, it said.

The Ministry of Food has instructed regular market monitoring in these areas and necessary legal actions to prevent price hikes.