DHAKA: The government-sponsored Open Market Sale (OMS) of rice at subsidized rate did not get expected response Tuesday, the first day of the food rationing, meant for a relief of the poor in the wake of market upturns.

Although gatherings of buyers were thin in front of the rice-carrying trucks, but the selling of rice was said to be on “in full swing”.  

While visiting different spots, banglanews24.com.bd correspondent found more amounts of rice sold than the ratio of buyers. So, question was raised about the transparency in OMS rice sales.

A number of officials and dealers, however, cited different causes, including delayed appearance of rice-carrying trucks on the spots, for small presence of buyers.

But the quantum of unsold rice was too little, the correspondent found.

There is an ample opportunity to sell rice to the same person in the name of another because there were no other ways to identify the buyers apart from putting name and fingerprint.

The same way, officers and dealers have chances to register pseudonyms in the list without selling rice.

D-8 area Rationing officer Ali Hossain told banglanews24.com.bd, “We don’t have enough time to identify the buyers in other ways except for names and fingerprints.”

Replying to a question, he said an assistant deputy food inspector was present with the dealers at every spot. So, there is no chance of ambiguity.
 
Replying to a question as to why buyers’ response was not satisfactory, assistant deputy-food inspector in Madhubagh Jhilpar area Shahidul Islam said people still did not know about the programme on the first day due to poor publicity and so the response is quite slim.

The OMS programme will run at 100 spots in the capital, Dhaka, during the month of Ramadan. Under the programme, people will be able to buy maximum 5-kg rice at Tk 24 per kg.

BDST 2107 HRS AUGUST 10, 2010