The government has fixed the prices of rice. The price of fine-grade miniket rice (millgate price) has been fixed at Tk 2,575 per 50 kg sack and medium quality rice at Tk 2,250 per 50 kg sack.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder fixed the prices of rice after a three-and-a-half-hour long meeting with millers and  traders at Khadya Bhaban in the capital on Tuesday.

He also cautioned that millers and traders saying that the government will allow import of fine quality rice within 10 days if they don't sell rice at the prices fixed by the government. At the same time, steps would be taken according to the Consumers Rights Act.

Addressing the millers and traders, he said they would have to come back at the prices of rice they charged 15 days ago. "Rice was sold at wholesale markets at Tk 51 to Tk 54. According to the prices, the highest prices of 50 kg miniket rice is Tk 2,575, while the medium quality rice prices are from Tk 2,150 to Tk 2,250," he said.

The minister said there is adequate stock of coarse rice in the country. But, people don't like to consume coarse rice now-a-days. Those who consume coarse rice, they can buy from open market sale (OMS).

Prices of almost all rice varieties increased by up to Tk 3 per kg in Dhaka in a space of 20 days amid floods and the coronavirus pandemic in the last week of August.

The prices rose by Tk 2 per kg across the board in a week recently.

The meeting chaired by the Food Secretary Moshammat Nazmanara Khanum was also attended by Agriculture Secretary Md Nasiruzzaman, Director General of Food Department Sarwar Mahmud, and Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension Md Abdul Muyeed, among others.