Waliur Rahman BBC News, Dhaka

The north of Bangladesh faces annual food shortages

About 15,000 soldiers are helping deliver rice to thousands of poor families who face hunger.

Rice is the staple food of Bangladesh's 140m people and prices are rising fast ahead of Ramadan after a poor harvest.

Officials say a situation of near famine is looming, particularly in the north. Every autumn food stocks run out before the rice harvest in December.

Political challenge

Officials say the scheme reflects the government's recognition that high prices of rice are hitting the poorest hardest.

Keeping rice prices affordable for the country's poor - the vast majority of the population - is one of the biggest political challenges for any government in Bangladesh.

And it is especially true ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins in October.

Rice prices have risen more than 40% in the past year and it is feared that prices will rise further during the month of fasting.

Discounted rice

Deputy Food Minister Asadul Habib said the free food distribution programme was aimed at ensuring that rice was available to the poor.

He said the government expected the free rice to contain rising prices as poor people would not need to rush to the markets to buy food.

He said an estimated 20m people would benefit.

Known as vulnerable group feeding (VGF), the programme is being carried out in all districts of Bangladesh for the first time this year.

Mr Habib said the government would also start selling rice at a discounted price from next month.