For the first time since the 1971 Liberation War, Bangladesh has begun direct trade with Pakistan. As part of this, the country is importing 50,000 metric tons of rice. The first shipment is being prepared for dispatch from Karachi’s Qasim Port.
However, according to Reuters, Bangladesh is purchasing rice from Pakistan at a higher price than from Vietnam. Bangladesh recently bought 100,000 tons of rice from Vietnam at $474.25 per ton, equivalent to just over 57 Bangladeshi taka per kilogram. In contrast, the country is buying rice from Pakistan at $499 per ton, which amounts to nearly 61 taka per kilogram.
Half of the 50,000-ton shipment from Pakistan is expected to arrive in the coming days, while the remaining 25,000 tons will be delivered in the first week of March. The deal was signed last month under a government-to-government agreement, with the Pakistan Trading Corporation handling the supply.
Meanwhile, the price of mid-grade rice in Bangladesh has reached 80 taka per kilogram, prompting the government to focus on rice imports to stabilize the market. Import duties on rice have also been lifted.
The rice imported from Vietnam will be sold under Bangladesh’s Open Market Sale (OMS) program at a subsidized rate of 30 taka per kilogram. A total of 906 centers across the country will distribute 907 tons of rice daily.
Despite being one of the world’s largest rice producers, Bangladesh continues to import large quantities of rice. In 2023, the country imported 200,000 tons from India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. This year, Pakistan has been added to the list of suppliers.