Chattogram: Unloading of 22,000 metric tons of Atap rice imported from Myanmar has begun at Jetty No. 9 of Chattogram Port tonight. This marks the arrival of the first consignment of rice imported from Myanmar during the tenure of the present interim government. Gyanpriyo Bidurshi Chakma, Acting Controller of Movement and Storage of Chattogram Regional Food Controller Office, confirmed that the unloading of rice began at 7pm today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the government decided to purchase 200,000 tons of rice under the open tender agreement. As part of this agreement, a Panama-flagged bulk carrier, ‘MV Golden Star’, carrying 22,000 metric tons of Atap rice imported from Myanmar on a government-to-government basis, arrived at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port. The ship docked at Jetty No. 9 of the port at around 12 noon today. After collecting samples of rice stored on the ship and conducting physical tests, the work of unloading the rice started, with plans to unload about 3,000 metric tons daily.
The bulk carrier ‘MV Golden Star’ left Yangon Port in Myanmar on January 14 after loading 22,000 metric tons of rice for Chattogram Port. Previously, two consignments of rice imported from India were brought to the country through Chattogram Port under the open tender agreement. Among them, ‘MV Tanais Dream’ arrived at the outer anchorage of the port in the first phase on December 25 with 24,690 metric tons of rice. Subsequently, the Panama-flagged bulk carrier ‘MV SDR Universe’ arrived at Chattogram Port with the second shipment on January 12, carrying 27,000 metric tons of half-boiled rice. The rice was unloaded through regular processes after collecting samples and conducting physical tests.