Benapole , Nov 22 (V7N) – Six trucks carrying duty-free rice from India arrived at Benapole land port in Jessore on Thursday night as part of the government’s initiative to stabilize rice prices in Bangladesh.

Over the last three days, four importers—Messrs Mahbubul Alam Food Products, Messrs Ark Trading, Messrs SMS Enterprise, and Messrs Sardar International—have imported a total of 520 tons of rice. Indian exporters Sudharam Ayat Nirayat Pvt. Ltd, Krishna Traders, and Tapan Traders supplied the shipments.

According to customs officials, the rice is priced at $430 per ton, and clearance documents have been submitted by C&F agents Hossain & Sons, Abedin Enterprise, Milan Enterprise, and Messrs Ratul International.

The imports align with a government directive issued on November 13, allowing private importers to bring in 587,000 metric tons of rice within a month to address rising prices in the retail market. This directive, signed by Joint Secretary Lutfor Rahman, includes permission for 102 companies to import 425,000 tons of parboiled rice and 162,000 tons of non-parboiled rice.

As per the directive, imported rice must be marketed by December 10 without repackaging, and importers are required to submit daily import, sales, and stock data to local food offices.

Shahidul Islam, a Benapole-based importer, stated that rice imports were halted for a long time due to high tariffs. “With the government’s recent removal of all tariffs, we obtained import permits and resumed imports, which should help reduce prices in the domestic market,” he explained.

The last rice shipment through Benapole took place on December 19, 2022. Previously, rice imports were subject to a 62.5% tariff, which was later reduced to 25%. On October 31, the government fully eliminated tariffs on rice imports.

Hemanta Kumar Sarkar, Deputy Assistant Officer at the Plant Quarantine Center in Benapole, reported that Jessore-based companies among the permitted importers have already cleared significant shipments.

Messrs Mahbubul Alam Food Products and Messrs Ark Trading each cleared 105 metric tons, while Messrs SMS Enterprise cleared 100 tons. On Thursday night, six more trucks of rice belonging to Sardar International entered the port and are expected to be cleared shortly.

END/MSS/BNPL