Bangladesh again issued tender for import of 50 thousand tonnes of rice

05-Mar-2025 11:34 AM

The Bangladesh government has issued a new tender for the import of 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati Sela rice due to the country's ongoing rice shortage.

The last date for submitting price offers is March 19, 2025. This tender comes after severe flooding in Bangladesh during August and October of the previous year, which destroyed significant quantities of paddy crops, leading to a shortage of rice.

The government has been increasing imports from international markets to stabilize domestic rice prices, with private traders also allowed to import rice.

The tender specifies that the rice can come from any country and must be delivered to two ports in Bangladesh — Chittagong and Mongla — within 40 days of contract award. Importers must also include the cost of transporting and unloading the rice in their offers.

While India has historically been the most successful supplier in Bangladesh's tenders, the country has also entered into contracts with Vietnam, Pakistan, and is negotiating with Myanmar for additional rice imports.

Despite political tensions, Bangladesh’s reliance on Indian rice continues to grow as the need for imports remains high