RMG owners won’t bear any part of the cost; subsidy to be financed by govt with taxpayers’ money.
Representational image. Photo: Courtesy
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Representational image. Photo: Courtesy
The government has decided to launch a special Open Market Sale (OMS) programme to provide rice to readymade garment (RMG) workers at Tk30 per kg, aiming to ease living cost pressures amid the ongoing labour protests demanding higher minimum wages.
Under the scheme, each garment worker will be eligible to purchase up to 10kg of rice per month. The food ministry initially plans to run the initiative for three months across key industrial hubs, including Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, and Chattogram.
Infographics: TBS
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Infographics: TBS
To fund the rollout, the ministry wrote to the Finance Division on 11 November, requesting an additional allocation of 4,500 tonnes of rice, alongside operational funds to cover truck freight, transportation, and administrative expenses for the fiscal 2026-27.
Truck sales every Friday
According to the letter, sales will take place every Friday, the workers’ weekly holiday, from 75 open trucks. With each truck carrying five tonnes, the ministry aims to distribute 375 tonnes of rice daily. Factory owners will assist in monitoring the scheme to ensure each worker purchases rice only once a month, following discussions with apparel trade bodies.
The financial burden will fall entirely on public funds. Under regular OMS operations, the government provides a direct subsidy of Tk18-19 per kg based on the gap between procurement and retail prices. For FY27, the government set procurement prices for the Aman season at Tk49 per kg for parboiled rice and Tk48 per kg for non-parboiled rice. Based on parboiled rice rates, the core price gap for 4,500 tonnes totals Tk8.55 crore, though total expenditure will rise further once transport, storage, wastage, and dealer commissions are factored in.
Taxpayers will foot the bill
Garment industry owners will not bear any part of this cost; the subsidy will be financed by the government with taxpayers’ money.
A senior food ministry official, speaking to TBS on condition of anonymity, noted that the initiative was designed to address high inflation, widespread unrest, and broader economic strain. While the official launch date remains unconfirmed, implementation is expected shortly.
The initiative comes on the heels of intense protests, road blockades, and clashes across major industrial belts. Workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000, arguing that steep increases in food, housing, transport, and healthcare have rendered current pay unlivable.
Although Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data showed overall inflation easing to 8.27% and food inflation falling to 6.40% in October, retail prices remain out of reach for low-income households. At current market rates, buying OMS rice at Tk30 per kg will save a worker Tk20-35 per kg, translating to a monthly saving of Tk200-350 per family.
Experts stress long-term resolution
Fahmida Khatun, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), welcomed the decision as a positive and timely intervention to bolster household food security. However, she underscored the need for seamless execution.
“Workers must not be forced to return empty-handed after standing in long queues,” Fahmida told TBS, urging the government to expand the basket to include essential items such as edible oil, lentils, and eggs. “While this offers temporary relief and signals government concern, temporary food assistance must be accompanied by a long-term resolution to secure a fair wage structure.”
Mahmud Hasan Khan, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), praised the move and called for the programme’s scope to be broadened to encompass low-income workers in other sectors as well.
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