Over ten million poor people in Bangladesh will receive subsidized food as the government is all set to implement an ambitious scheme aiming to provide relief to poor people being affected by skyrocketing commodities prices. 

The government intervention came amid high prices of consumable goods, foods, due to high shipping and fuel cost, amid continued geopolitical uncertainties due to the pandemic and war in Ukraine.

According to the latest Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data, CPI inflation in January stood at 5.86 percent, up from 6.05 percent in December. Rising prices of food and daily commodities have increasingly become a point of concern for most countries in South Asia.

“The first phase of sales of goods with the family cards will start from Sunday, March 20 and continue up to March 31,” Tipu Munsi, the country’s Commerce Minister, was quoted as saying by The Daily Mirror. Lentil, edible oil, and sugar will be distributed as a package at subsidized prices. 

The initiative came as the authorities came under immense domestic pressure amid growing criticism by opposition parties of the alleged failure of the government to provide relief to people. 

Responding to critics, Education Minister Dipu Moni said several ministries and departments were doing their best to keep commodities’ prices within the reach of the general public, but dishonest people continued making attempts to tarnish the image of the government. 

(SAM)