Dhaka, Dec. 14 -- The interim government has granted permission to import 6,000 tonnes of onions daily from India to hold down prices.

On the first day of the decision to increase imports, the Department of Agricultural Extension issued 200 Import Permits (IPs).

Importers will be able to import the daily quantity of onions against the approved IPs issued on Saturday.

No more than 30 tonnes of onions, however, can be imported per IP.

The government has authorised the import of a total of 19,500 tonnes of onions from India in eight days, according to Boni Amin Khan, additional director of the department's Plant Quarantine Wing.

Previously, on Dec 7, the government allowed the import of 1,500 tonnes of onions a day against 50 IPs from I...