Fighting to stay afloat after the strong intensity cyclone Sidr devastated the southwestern coast, the Bangladeshi government has sought five lakh MT of rice from the international community as assistance for tackling any possible food crisis in the country.

According to the department of Food and Disaster Management Secretary, the country will have to import about 1 million MT of rice as the current food stock will shrink from March against the backdrop of huge crop losses.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has alreadypromised to provide 71,000 MT of rice, while India and the US promised 50,000 MT, and 25,000 MT respectively.