Govt mulls food rationing: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the government would introduce food rationing to ensure that people of all sections could cope with the prices of daily essentials.

“We are considering providing ration for all. Whatever the wages of a person, he will be entitled to purchase daily essentials like rice, pulses, oils and baby milk under the general rationing system,” the PM said.

She also announced a package programme to enhance allowance for the auxiliary law enforcement agency and assign them to new roles in rural development and peacekeeping.

She announced that the daily allowance of the Ansar members would be fixed at minimum Tk 180.

The premier directed the authorities concerned to take steps to implement the decision immediately.

She said all beneficiaries would have to follow a ‘limit’ in getting the services under the government rationing system.

As she enquired about the problems being faced by the Ansar and VDP, some senior officers demanded for giving them “self-commanding power”, include them in the UN Peacekeeping Mission and give them authority to carry out investigation like police for “ensuring justice” in the rural areas.

In reply, Hasina said the government is considering setting up a separate structure for investigation within the police department. And Ansar can be made a part of that separate investigation structure, she added.

She directed the home ministry to think what can be done to accommodate Ansar and VDP in the envisaged separate investigation mechanism.

About the demand regarding UN mission, she said though the choice of forces for sending in the peacekeeping missions totally depends on the UN authorities, she herself would look into the matter and try to take steps in this regard.

Hasina stressed the need for identifying fields of demands for human resources on the international market and sending abroad well-trained workforce.

She suggested the Ansar and VDP authorities to set up a Nursing Training Institute in the Ansar VDP Academy Hospital as such initiative will help create employment opportunities for the Ansar-VDP women members.

The PM also inaugurated the newly installed operation theatre of Bangladesh Ansar Academy Hospital.