TDS Desk:

The parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Food on Sunday informed that no rice was imported in the 2023–24 fiscal year as the country fulfilled its demand through locally produced food grains.

The information was revealed during a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on food of the 12th Jatiya Sangsad at the parliament with the committee Chairman Shahjahan Khan in the chair, according to a press release.

However, the country has imported wheat through the necessary processes, as importance has been given to quality control of the imported food grains, reports BSS.

The JS body has also recommended ensuring special vigilance in the marketing process to ensure food safety, says the release.

Committee members: Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, M Makbul Hossen, M Mostafa Alam, Abul Kalam Mohammad Ahsanul Huq Chowdhury, SM Kamal Hossen, Khan Muhammad Saifullah Al Mehedi, and Dropodi Devi Agarwal, among others, attended the meeting.

The committee also discussed in detail the undertaking of awareness programmes to curb food waste.

“A plan has also been taken to discourage wastage of foods through the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, the release said, adding, “Recommendations have been made to undertake an awareness programme to curb food wastage at different social programmes such as hotel-restaurants, weddings, and picnic parties through incorporating different mass media in the process.”

The committee has also congratulated the respective ministry, which has already taken the initiative to form a task force comprising representatives from different ministries, including the food ministry, to prevent all food-related irregularities and corruption.

The meeting was also attended by the food secretary, directors from the food department, heads of different organisations and agencies, and relevant parliament secretariat officials.