Photo: BSS

KHULNA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS) - Government-run Open Market Sale (OMS) outlets in Khulna city are witnessing increasing crowds, with a growing number of people mostly, low-income source people relying, on the programme to purchase rice and flour at government-fixed rates.

Sources said residents of Khulna city are now showing greater interest in the OMS facility. As the programme is limited to 31 wards of the city and not available in rural areas, people from nearby upazilas are also coming to the city to buy essentials, resulting in long queues at several dealer points.

On-the-spot visits revealed that large numbers of people were waiting in front of OMS outlets from early morning in different parts of the city. Each dealer point is allocated one tonne of rice and one tonne of flour daily to serve around 200 consumers, but the number of buyers often exceeds the allocated capacity, leaving many without supplies.

Firoza Begum, a 55-year-old widow from Rajapur village under Aichhgati Union of Rupsha upazila, said she crossed the river early in the morning to buy five kilograms each of rice and flour from an OMS outlet in Ward No-21.

At M/S Manjuara Enterprise dealer point in Ward No-26, more than 300 people gathered to buy OMS rice and flour, including Taslima Begum and Shanti Bala from Sachibunia area of Batiaghata upazila.

Rahmatullah, a 53-year-old rickshaw puller from Khalishpur area, said people are now coming not only from the city but also from nearby villages to avail themselves of the OMS facility. "Over the past month, many new faces are seen here. OMS sales should be expanded to rural areas," he said.

Under the OMS programme, rice is sold at Tk 30 per kg and flour at Tk 24 per kg.

Food Department dealer Md Russell Bhulu of Ward No-11 said people start queuing early in the morning. "We can serve 200 people daily as per allocation, but more than 300 turn up every day," he said.

Dealer Chan Mia Selim of Ward No-8 said many new consumers have been coming for the last month from areas across the Bhairab River, including Dighalia, Terokhada and Rupsha.

At an OMS outlet near Sonadanga Bus Stand, Shahjahan Ali, a cloth hawker, said he had never stood in such long queues before but now regularly visits OMS points.

Long queues were also observed in Daulatpur, Khan Jahan Ali, Khalishpur and Sonadanga areas, with women, men and even children waiting in line.
Afroza, who queued at an OMS outlet in Sheikhpara market, said she stood in line from 5:00 am as sales begin around 9:00 am. "We feel relieved if we manage to buy rice and flour," she said.

Dealer Md Swapan from Tutpara area under Ward No-30 said meeting demand has become difficult due to the increasing number of buyers.

Khulna Metropolitan OMS Monitoring Officer and Upazila Food Controller Md Ashrafuzzaman said rice and flour are being sold through 31 dealers in 31 wards of Khulna city, with each dealer receiving one tonne of rice and one tonne of flour daily. "Demand has increased, and the matter of increasing allocation has been communicated to higher authorities," he added.

Regional Food Controller Md Mamunur Rashid said crowding at OMS points has increased and dealers have been instructed to strictly follow government guidelines. Food Department officials are supervising the operations, and several food inspectors have already been relieved of duty for negligence, he said.