Dhaka, April 12 -- The dramatic surge in rice imports during the first eight months of the 2024-25 fiscal year, rising over 2,000 per cent year on year, underscores the government's urgent response to multiple rounds of devastating floods that battered Bangladesh's agricultural heartland.
As per a report published in an English daily on Friday, with over $286 million spent on imports compared to just $13.3 million a year earlier, it is evident that authorities took the threat of food insecurity seriously.
Yet, despite this proactive move, retail rice prices have remained stubbornly high, revealing serious cracks in the supply chain and market regulation.
The government's decision to strengthen food reserves was driven by necessity, follo...