Staff Correspondent

The caretaker government is considering selling rice through the 'open market sale' system at the union level, commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said Saturday.

The adviser said the administration was also thinking of increasing the amount of rice sold through OMS in Dhaka city from 350 tonnes a day to between 1000 and 1500 tonnes a day.

Zillur spoke to reporters after a meeting on economic issues at the secretariat. However, the adviser cautioned: "It has to be seen whether OMS can be extended to the union level."

He said the number of OMS in Dhaka city fell far short of the required number, but the proposed increase in rice sales in the capital would target garments and industrial workers.

"We think the open market rice sales centres should be opened where these people live," said Zillur. On a separate issue, the adviser said a bumper potato crop had been harvested throughout the country this year.

He said the administration was considering whether one-half or one-third of the total requirement of vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programmes could be supplied by the potato crop. "I think this is very good thinking: it will benefit the farmers and increase food security," said the adviser.

As part of a series of discussions aimed at bringing economic solvency to the masses, Zillur said the caretaker administration was thinking about implementing a food-for-work programme in Alipur union, which was hit by Cyclone Sidr.

Replying to a question on the rise in the price of edible oil, the commerce adviser said: "Price hikes at the wholesale market have been stopped."

"There will now be a consequent impact on the retail market." Finally, the adviser said the finance ministry was considering a dearness allowance for government service holders.

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