Garment workers, burdened by rising commodity prices, have begun purchasing rice at Tk 30 per kg under a special Open Market Sale (OMS) programme. The initiative was seen underway on Friday in the capital's Mirpur and Savar's Hemayetpur areas.

Worker turnout and sales process

Workers crowded around OMS trucks from morning to buy rice at the subsidised rate. Some stood in queues waiting for their turn, others collected their share, while many were seen heading home with rice. Several workers arrived during work breaks or lunch hours to make their purchases.

Sales staff were seen handing over rice from OMS trucks to the workers. Under this special programme, each worker can buy a maximum of 10 kg of rice by presenting their identity card. The scene was observed at Mirpur's Section 11 area and Savar's Hemayetpur area.

Context of the programme

The initiative comes amid rising prices of essential commodities, which have eroded the purchasing power of low-income groups, particularly garment workers. The special OMS programme aims to provide some relief by ensuring rice supply at an affordable price. The visible turnout at the sales centres reflects the demand for such support among the workers.