Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – The Open Market Sale (OMS) of rice and atta (flour) will resume within the next few days, officials said.

“We hope to restart OMS program some time first week of September. It will continue as long as it requires,” a senior official of the Directorate of Food reportedly said, adding that the government has briefly halted the program on the occasion of Eid vacation.

The OMS program is an initiative of the government to keep the prices of the essential commodities stable. The OMS programs are now running in the capital and other divisional cities.

OMS of rice started last year, and selling ata through the same program was also introduced in the capital on May 16 last. It is drawing very good response from the lower income group.

Under the OMS program per kg of atta is selling at BDT 20 while per kg of rice at BDT 24. A consumer can buy either rice or atta or both the items separately with five kg’s of each item at a time from the designated truck dealers.

At present over 150 trucks are being used for selling rice and atta in different areas in the capital, according to Dhaka Rationing office.

Earlier, the government appointed a private flour mill to produce atta through wheat pulverization. As per the deal signed with the miller, the government will get 80 kgs of atta against 100 kgs of wheat form the miller.

The government provides per kg of wheat at BDT 17 to the miller, and after crushing it (wheat), the miller will supply atta to the dealers at BDT 19 per kg. The dealers sell per kg of atta to the customers at BDT 20 per kg, making a profit of one Taka per kg.

BBN/SSR/AD-03Sept11-10:52 am (BST)