Dhaka:A special Open Market Sale (OMS) programme aimed at readymade garment (RMG) workers was launched on Friday, offering rice at a subsidized price of Tk 30 per kg. This initiative is designed to reduce food expenses for workers and ensure their access to affordable food.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the programme allows each garment worker to purchase up to 10 kg of rice per month at the subsidized rate. The effort aligns with the government's focus on ensuring food security for low-income individuals and aims to lower their cost of living, following a pledge from the BNP's election manifesto to enhance social protection and accessibility to financial and essential food items for marginalized and low-income groups.
Initially, the rice is being sold through 66 truck-sale points in locations including Dhaka city, Savar, Dhamrai, Gazipur, Narayanganj, and various areas of the Chattogram district, including Chattogram city. Each truck is loaded with five metric tonnes of rice, with a total of 330 metric tonnes distributed every Friday. The programme is set to continue until further notice.
Out of the total allocation, 30 metric tonnes are distributed through six truck-sale points in Dhaka city, 40 metric tonnes through eight points in Savar, 10 metric tonnes through two points in Dhamrai, 150 metric tonnes through 30 points in Gazipur, 50 metric tonnes through 10 points in Narayanganj, and another 50 metric tonnes through 10 points in Chattogram.
The sale of rice is conducted in two shifts every Friday, with the first shift from 1000 am to 1230 pm and the second from 230 pm to 500 pm, depending on stock availability. Garment workers can avail themselves of this programme by presenting their factory identity cards and signing the master roll. The Directorate General of Food, under the Ministry of Food, is responsible for implementing this initiative.