Dhaka, April 23 -- The government will import 13 million litres of refined palm olein for sale at subsidised prices to low-income cardholders under the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) programme.

The finance ministry said in a statement that the oil will be procured from US-based Powerhouse General Trading LLC through an open international tender at a cost of Tk 1.81 billion.

In addition, 2,000 tonnes of lentils will be imported in a single lot as part of a plan to procure 8,000 tonnes through an open national tender process.

The lentils will be supplied by ES Services Ltd of Gulshan, Dhaka, at a cost of Tk 156.48 million.

The approvals were given at a meeting of the cabinet committee on government purchase on Thursday, chaired...