Bangladesh will import 150,000 tonnes of rice from India in a state deal priced at $440 a tonne, as the government races to restore depleted reserves and combat high prices. Bangladesh had already sealed a deal with India’s another state agency PEC to import 100,000 tonnes of rice at $455 a tonne. Rice is a staple food for Bangladesh’s 160 million people and high prices pose a problem for the government, which faces a national election next year. Despite deals with several rice exporting countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh is still struggling to build its reserves, after a deal with Cambodia for 250,000 tonnes was scrapped last month over a delay in shipments. Strong demand from Bangladesh helped push Asian rice prices to multi-year highs in June.