Bangladesh has a plan to import up to 10 lakh
tonnes of wheat from India under government to government contract and
necessary steps already have been taken by the concerned food ministry.
“Bangladesh has sent an offer letter to the Bangladesh High Commission in
India for making a negotiation with the Indian government to import as much
as 10 lakh tonnes wheat,” said Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder
exclusively to BSS tonight.
After receiving the letter from Indian national companies, he said “We are
trying to make correspondence with seven to eight Indian Wheat export
companies and to seek clearance from the Indian government.”
After the clearance from the Indian government, then negotiation on fixing
import price will be held with the Indian government for materializing these
import arrangement, he said.
Although we have a verbal agreement with India to import on an estimated
amount of 10 lakh tonnes of wheat, but now we have sent our total import
demand officially.
Earlier, a tender has been completed with the neighboring India to import
around 3 lakh tonnes of wheat —where 1.50 lakh tonnes are on unloading
process at the port and import of remaining 1.50 lakh tonnes are in pipeline.
Bangladesh usually imports wheat from Russia, but the ongoing Russia-Ukraine
war has compelled us to import wheat from India.
Country’s annual wheat demand stands at 75 lakh tonnes where 11 lakh tonnes
produced in locally and the rest 64 lakh tonnes are usually comes from
Russia, Ukraine, India and Canada.
Of the total wheat import of Bangladesh, Russia and Ukraine meets 45 percent
of wheat import demand which is now being suspended due to war.
After removing US embargo on dollar, Russia also has sent offer letter to
Bangladesh for wheat export which was suspended due to US embargo on export
import goods from abroad since Russia and Ukraine war.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)