The interim government is set to import seven lakh tonnes of rice, the highest in the last seven fiscal years, as it looks to shore up its depleting food grain stock and ease the cost of living crisis for the low- and fixed-income people battered by the prolonged high inflation.

Some 91,000 tonnes will be parboiled rice and 33,000 tonnes sunned rice

The government has given go-ahead to rice import to keep the local market stable and it will not cause any harm to the Bangladeshi farmers, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said today.