Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque on Saturday said the government will distribute rice among 50 lakh poor families at Tk 10 per kg.

"Due to the Russia-Ukraine war the price of food grains in the country has increased a bit but we are giving all-out effort to keep the prices at a tolerable level," the minister told reporters during a visit to Bangladesh Rice Research Institute at Gazipur.

Replying to a question Abdur Razzaqe said, "Prices of thin rice have increased a bit but not that of coarse rice. We are more worried about the poor people and so we are distributing rice at a cheaper price through Open Market Sale (OMS)"

The minister said as part of the government's bid to control the prices tax has on edible oil and some other food items has been withdrawn.

"To make the agricultural sector profitable we are working to modernize cultivation of fish, poultry and paddy, "he added.

Qu Dongyu, Director General of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, also visited the institute with the Minister.