TCB sale of essentials kicks off

10m families to benefit from it

FE REPORT | August 03, 2022 00:00:00

This physically challenged man is checking out a cooking oil bottle he has just collected from a TCB sales point in Motijheel area of Dhaka using his family card. The government on Tuesday started a drive to sell daily commodities to more than 10 million families, having the cards at subsidised prices across the country — FE photo by Shafiqul Alam

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has started a drive to sell essential commodities to more than 10 million families at subsidised prices.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi inaugurated the sales drive at a dealer point on Babar Road in Dhaka's Mohammadpur area on Tuesday.

The government will take stern action if it finds involvement of any irregularity in selling the commodities, Mr Munshi told the inauguration event.

The state-owned TCB will be selling the essential items, including soybean, sugar and lentil, in different parts of the country through its dealers, with the cooperation from city corporations, and district and upazila administration.

Mr Munshi expressed hope that the drive would continue.

To maintain discipline in sales activities, the essentials are no longer being sold through trucks as TCB halted its 'truck sales'. The products will now be sold nationwide at designated shops or establishments of TCB dealers to people having family cards.

Commerce minister said TCB was helping the country's lower income groups by selling the essential commodities at subsidised prices.

Only card holder families will be able to buy the items, he added.

At the TCB sales points, soybean is being sold at Tk 110 per litre, while sugar, lentil and onion are being sold, respectively, at Tk 55, Tk 65, and Tk 20 per kg.

Each family can buy a maximum of 2.0 litres of soybean, 2.0 kilogrammes of lentils and onions, and maximum one kilogramme of sugar.

Senior Secretary of the commerce ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh and TCB Chairman Brigadier General Md Ariful Hassan, among others, were present at the inauguration event.

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