Food Minister Afroza Khanam has sought technical assistance from the United States to ensure food safety, test the quality of imported food grains and improve long-term grain storage.

She made the request during a meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen at her office at the Secretariat on Sunday.

The minister specifically requested US experts and technical assistance to strengthen food-testing capacity at Chattogram and Mongla ports, particularly for assessing the quality of imported rice and wheat.

Bangladesh faces various challenges in storing food grains, especially rice and wheat, over the long term because of its climatic conditions. The meeting also discussed the potential for drawing on US experts’ experience in grain storage technology and management.

The US ambassador said the possibility of cooperation from American experts in providing technical assistance to ensure food safety would be considered.

The meeting also discussed wheat imports from the United States to Bangladesh. Both sides expressed satisfaction that wheat imports were being completed within the stipulated timeframe under the agreement and that there had been no problems.