The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) began selling essential products at subsidised rates on Thursday.
This month, TCB has added dates to its subsidised sales including soybean oil, sugar, pulses, and rice -- which covers 10 million low-income families across the country.
State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam inaugurated the sale in Dhaka.
The sale of TCB products has been ongoing for 10 million low-income families. The second phase of sales activities coincides with the beginning of Ramadan - the month of fasting for Muslims.
Each family cardholder this time can buy a maximum of two litres of soybean oil, two kilogrammes of lentils, one kilogramme of sugar and one kilogram of dates.
TCB sets the prices at Tk 100 per litre for soybean oil, Tk 70 for sugar, Tk 60 for lentils, Tk 150 for dates and Tk 30 per kilogramme for rice.
TCB spokesperson Humayun Kabir said TCB distributors, in collaboration with city corporations, district and upazila administrations, will carry out the sales on scheduled dates and times.
During this period, family cardholders could purchase products from either the distributor shops or designated locations in their respective areas.
During the inauguration of TCB sales in the capital, Senior Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and TCB Chairman Brig Gen Md Ariful Hassan were also present.
At the programme, State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam said the prices of sugar and other essentials would not increase further and that products would be available at reasonable prices during Ramadan.
He said the recent fire incident at the S Alam sugar refinery in Chattogram would not affect the supply as the company has alternative storage facilities.
In a separate development, TCB reversed its decision to raise sugar prices shortly after announcing it.
The Corporation initially announced a price increase on Wednesday, from the previous Tk 70 to Tk 100 per kilogramme.
However, TCB walked back on it a day after and reinstated the previous rates, according to TCB spokesperson Humayun Kabir. Sugar was sold to family cardholders at Tk 70 per kg, while during the last Ramadan, the price was Tk 60.
Meanwhile, sugar prices in the local market remained unchanged at their previous highs on Thursday, ranging from Tk 150 to Tk 170 per kg depending on areas in Dhaka. These are Tk 15-30 per kilogramme higher than the official rate of Tk 135-140 per kilogramme.
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