Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder today asked all deputy commissioners to intensify their efforts to procure paddy directly from farmers to ensure a fair price for their produce. 

"We purchased 150,000 tonnes of (Boro) paddy until yesterday against a target of 400,000 tonnes. They (DCs) are assisting in the procurement.... and to intensify it, we have issued a directive to them," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after a working session of the deputy commissioners that was held with ministries of food, and disaster management and relief at the cabinet conference room at the Secretariat.

The working session was part of the five-day annual conference of deputy commissioners having been held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka city since Sunday, local media reports say.

State minister for disaster management and relief Enamur Rahma and deputy commissioners, among others, attended the session, with Cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam in the chair.