Rice imports from India not political considerations: Food Adviser

Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder has said Bangladesh’s rice imports from India are driven by market needs, not political considerations, adding, “Trade and politics should not be conflated.”

amid questions over the impact of current diplomatic relations between the two countries.

He made the remarks at a discussion with journalists on the country's food situation at the Food Ministry meeting room at the Secretariat on Sunday (December 4).

“We purchase rice from India by paying market prices, and they sell it commercially. This is a buyer–seller relationship,” he said.

He added that Bangladesh sources rice and other essentials based on price and availability. “Where prices are lower, we buy from there. We do not view imports from India through a political lens; this is purely a market mechanism,” the adviser said.

Majumder also provided an update on the government’s domestic food procurement drive, saying collection targets have already been surpassed. The initial targets included procuring 50,000 tonnes of paddy, 600,000 tonnes of parboiled rice and 57,000 tonnes of non-parboiled (atop) rice.

“So far, we have procured 131,000 tonnes of paddy, 732,000 tonnes of parboiled rice and 57,596 tonnes of atop rice,” he said, adding that the country’s overall food situation remains “satisfactory.”

Noting that agriculture is heavily dependent on natural conditions, the adviser said strong production in upcoming major crops would further stabilise the food supply. “If yields are good, we will be able to navigate this year comfortably. The current position is reassuring,” he added.