Prime Minister Khaleda Zia presided over the meeting attended by ministers and state ministers of respective ministries.

Rice procurement target for 2003-'04 has been fixed at two lakh tonnes. The government would directly buy 1.5 lakh tonnes of rice from the markets, mainly from growers.

In addition to this, the authorities would procure 73,000 tonnes of paddy, that would be approximately equivalent to 50,000 tonnes of rice.

Price of Aman paddy has been fixed at Taka 8.40 per kg while that of rice at Taka 12.80 per kg in this season. The procurement timeline will begin from November 15 and will continue up to February 28, 2004.

The cabinet decided to extend all support to the country's agriculture sector to bring further boost to rice production and other food varieties.

It also approved the Code of Civil Procedure (Second Amendment) Act 2003 and the name change of the 'Bangkok agreement' and all other amendments related to it.

The meeting today okayed in principle a proposal that authorised Sadharan Bima Corporation to buy some equity shares of the Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd.

It also adopted a condolence reference on the recent death of freedom fighter Mesbahuddin Sabu, a former secretary general of Muktijhuddha Command Council and incumbent vice chairman of the council.

Cabinet secretary, principal secretary to the Prime Minister and secretaries of other relevant ministries were also present.