Food minister seeks US experts to check imported rice and wheat, envoy promises to consider
Photo: Collected
Food Minister Afroza Khanam MP has sought US experts and technical assistance to strengthen the capacity to test the quality of rice and wheat imported through Chattogram and Mongla ports. She also sought the country’s technical cooperation in ensuring food security and in storing food grains for long periods.
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen paid a courtesy call on the food minister at her office at the Secretariat on Sunday. The minister welcomed him to the food ministry. Fruitful discussions were held on various issues of mutual interest to the two countries.
During the discussion, the food minister expressed hope for US technical assistance to ensure safe food in the country. She also requested US experts and technical assistance for food testing at the two ports to check the quality of imported rice and wheat.
The minister said Bangladesh’s climatic conditions pose various challenges to storing food grains, especially rice and wheat, over the long term. The two sides also discussed the possibility of drawing on the experience of US experts in grain storage technology and management.
The ambassador thanked the food minister and praised her work. He said the possibility of cooperation from US experts on technical assistance for ensuring safe food would be considered.
The import of wheat from the United States also came up at the meeting. Both sides expressed satisfaction that the wheat imports had been completed within the time set under the agreement and without any problems.
Afroza Khanam told the US ambassador about her recent experience of inspecting a wheat-laden ship from the United States at the outer anchorage of Chattogram port.
US Agricultural Attaché Mr Erin Covert, Food Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana, Directorate General of Food Director General Mu. Jashim Uddin Khan and senior officials of the food ministry and related offices were present at the meeting. The meeting stressed strengthening mutual cooperation between Bangladesh and the United States in food security, quality testing of imported grain and improving long-term storage systems.
Background
The wheat imports mentioned at the meeting are based on a memorandum of understanding. Under the MoU, signed in July 2025 between the food ministry and US Wheat Associates, 700,000 tonnes of wheat a year are to be imported from the United States over the next five years, The Daily Star Bangla reported.
According to a bdnews24.com report of 25 October 2025, Bangladesh began importing wheat from the United States for the first time that day. Ambassador Brent Christensen was also present at a ceremony held at the silo jetty of Chattogram port in January this year to mark the unloading of the second consignment of wheat.
By the numbers
According to the food ministry, there was a plan to bring in a total of 220,000 tonnes of wheat under the G2G agreement; on 31 January, the third consignment of 58,359 tonnes reached the outer anchorage of Chattogram port, while the previous two consignments brought a total of 114,093 tonnes, bdnews24.com reported.
Sources
Background sources: The Daily Star Bangla, 20 July 2025; bdnews24.com, 25 October 2025; bdnews24.com, 31 January 2026
