Bangladesh to distribute 36.6 lakh tonnes of food grains among poor in FY26

The government has taken a move to distribute some 36.61 lakh tonnes of food grains in the fiscal year 2025-26 among low-income people under various social safety net programmes in the country to contain the inflationary pressure.

Inflation in the country rose to 8.55% in July 2025, according to the latest data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

The rise was attributed to a modest rise in food and non-food inflation, the BBS report mentions.

Under the programmes, 30.57 lakh tonnes of rice and 6.04 lakh tonnes of wheat will be distributed, according to a Food Ministry document.

In the previous fiscal year, 33.05 lakh tonnes of food grains, 26.30 lakh tonnes of rice and 6.75 lakh tonnes of wheat-were distributed.

A total of 2.40 lakh tonnes of rice and 3 lakh tonnes of wheat will be distributed through Open Market Sale (OMS) allocation in FY26.

Although some 1,066 OMS centres are currently operating in city corporations and major municipalities (as of July 2025), the demand is far higher.

The annual rice requirement under the OMS programme is around 3,06,240 tonnes against the current allocation of over 66,000 tonnes.

Besides, the daily wheat allocation requirement is 1,391 tonnes (or 30,602 tonnes of flour) per month.

The monthly requirement stands at 39,743 tonnes of wheat which pushes the annual demand to around 4,76,915 tonnes against 3 lakh tonnes currently allocated.

Officials say the shortfall highlights the need to revisit allocation levels to meet actual consumption patterns and ensure uninterrupted supply for low-income consumers who rely on subsidised rice and wheat through OMS channels.

Rice prices in Bangladesh continue to exert significant pressure on food inflation as well as overall inflation, according to the latest economic update by the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission of the Planning Ministry.

The contribution of rice to food inflation rose sharply from 40% in May to 51.55% in July. Medium and coarse rice accounted for the bulk of the increase, contributing 24% and 18.39% respectively, the GED report shows.

A note from the Directorate says that the matter could be placed for discussion and decision-making regarding potential increases in OMS allocations for both rice and wheat.

Rice and flour are sold at subsidised rates under OMS programme across Bangladesh to stabilise prices and support vulnerable groups particularly in urban areas.

Bangladesh's food grains distribution programmes are a key pillar of the government's efforts to ensure food security for low-income and disaster-affected populations.

Managed primarily by the Directorate General of Food under the Ministry of Food these initiatives combine social safety nets, targeted subsidies, and emergency relief to address both chronic poverty and seasonal hardships.

The largest components include the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) and Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) schemes which provide rice and wheat to millions of rural and urban poor households, particularly during lean agricultural seasons and ahead of major religious festivals.

Under the Food for Work (FFW) and Test Relief (TR) programmes, food grains are distributed as payment for labour in rural infrastructure projects such as road maintenance, embankment repair, and irrigation canal construction, helping communities build resilience while generating employment.

The Open Market Sale (OMS) initiative operates through trucks and dealers nationwide to sell rice and flour at subsidised prices to stabilise markets and support low-income consumers.

Besides, during floods or cyclones, the government mobilises rapid-response relief channels to distribute food grains directly to affected families.

These programmes are supported by the development partners including the World Food Programme (WFP) which collaborates with the government on capacity building, targeting systems and supply chain management.

Officials said such programmes are vital for reducing hunger, protecting livelihoods, and protecting the most vulnerables against price shocks and climate-related disruptions.

A top Food Ministry official said some 55 lakh families in the country which was 50 lakh previously will get 30 kilograms of rice per month at the rate of Tk15 per kilogram.

This will be distributed in August, September, October, November, February and March.

"We hope that the market price will be lower comparatively as our storage is satisfactory," said an official wishing anonymity.