July 28, 2005

Australia gives 58,000 tonnes of wheat to Bangladesh

Australia will provide some 58,000 tonnes of wheat as a food grant aid to Bangladesh in the fiscal year 2005-06 under a memorandum signed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The total food aid package is worth about BDT690 million (US$10.62 million).

Acting Australian High Commissioner Richard Rodgers and Bangladesh's Economic Relations Division secretary M Ismail Zabihullah signed on Jul 26 the Memorandum of Subsidiary Arrangement for Australia to provide food aid grant to Bangladesh.

In response to the Bangladesh government's request, Australia has increased the food aid grant by 13,000 tonnes to cover an increased number of program participants this year.

The wheat will be shipped to Bangladesh in August or September.