CCCI, CMCCI start selling essential commodities at subsidised prices

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MA Latif, MP inaugurating the programme of selling essential commodities at subsidised rate to low income group for the holy Ramadan Saturday.

Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, July 21: Premier trade body Chittagong Chamber has commenced its programme of selling essential commodities at subsidised rate to low income group for the holy Ramadan Saturday.
Ruling party lawmaker MA Latif MP inaugurated the programme in front of the Chamber House premises with Murshed Murad Ibrahim, president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), in the chair.
The function was attended among others by CCCI directors MA Salam, Mazharul Islam Chowdhury, Mahfuzul Hoque Shah, Emdadul Huq Chowdhury, Shahin Alam, Ahid Siraj Chowdhury, Syed Jamal Ahmed and Absar Hasan Chowdhury.
Immediate past president of CCCI MA Latif said the trade body has been working for welfare of the common people apart from contributing to the national development of the country. The initiative of selling goods at subsidised price will reduce the price hike tendency, he said urging the elite and the business houses to come forward with such programmes in order to eliminate social discrepancy.
CCCI president said that their initiative will assist, to a great extent, the steps of the government to control the irrational price hike. He viewed that the programme will be expanded, if needed, for protecting consumer rights.
The subsidised selling will continue till 25 Ramadan from 10 am to 3 pm everyday. The CCCI outlet is selling sugar at Tk 45 a kg, atap rice at Tk 20 a kg and Siddha rice at Tk 18 a kg.
Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CMCCI) has also started selling sugar, rice and edible oil at subsidised prices from an outlet in front of CMCCI office at Agrabad commercial area in the city.
The trade body started selling goods in the month of Ramadan in 2011 at reduced price. This year the programme was inaugurated by director of the CMCCI MA Malek, editor of the Daily Azadi.
The function was also addressed by President of the CMCCI Khalilur Rahman, Vice President AM Mahbub Chowdhury and Director Amiruzzaman Bhuiyan.
Each kilogram of sugar of sugar is selling at Tk 45, atap rice at Tk 29 and soyabean oil per litre in bottle at Tk 130. Each person will get 5 kg rice, 2 kg sugar and 2 litre soyabean oil everyday from 9 am to 3 pm till the last day of Ramadan.
CMCCI president Khalilur Rahman said the trade body is opening another sales outlet for the Ramadan month at the city's Oxygen intersection from tomorrow. The same goods will be sold at the same rates, he said.
People were seen standing in long queue in front of both the sales outlets of the CMCCI and CCCI to buy essentials at around 12 noon.
Meanwhile, the government trading agency TCB is selling essential commodities like gram, sugar, dates, soyabean oil and lentil at the government fixed prices.
The goods are being sold through the TCB listed dealers and in open trucks throughout the city and the district. The regional office of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh has enlisted 130 dealers for the city and 252 dealers for different upazilas of the district.