Making TCB family card programme corruption-free

Providing daily essentials to 10 million families through the Trading Corporation Bangladesh (TCB) at a subsidised price was a laudable initiative. If we consider that each family consists of five members on average, at least 50 million people were supposed to be benefitted directly by this TCB family card programme. But allegations of mismanagement and corruption have been reported since the inception of the programme.

According to the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), around 13.7 per cent of beneficiaries become victims of corruption and irregularities while buying products with family card. In some cases, the dealers asks for bribe. There are also allegations of cheating in weight and supply of rotten or below-standard products and compelling them to wait for hours in queue. We urge the authorities concerned to take immediate steps so that the family card programme is corruption-free and poor families can get the products at a low price.

Abu Elias Linkon,

Banasree, Dhaka,

lightening_sparkle@yahoo.com