TCB may start OMS of essential goods from Sept 10

---

A BDR-run fair price shop is in operation on North South Road Monday. Such 100 retail outlets are now in the city as part of government’s step to tame prices of essentials ahead of Ramadan. — FE Photo

FE Report
The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) is likely to start open market sale (OMS) of lentil, sugar, soybean, onion and chickpeas in the major cities from September 10.
The TCB initiated the move to ensure adequate supply and price stability of essential items during the holy month of Ramadan.
Chief officer of the TCB Mir Fazlul Karim Beg told the FE that the essential items will be sold through eight mobile units in the capital. The trucks will be parked at vantage points of the city to sell the commodities directly to consumers.
Three trucks will be engaged for the OMS in Chittagong while two trucks will be placed in each of the divisional headquarters, TCB sources said.
Sources said employees of the TCB will themselves sell the essential commodities from the mobile units.
Sugar will be sold at Tk 27 each kilogram (kg) and lentil at Tk 58 per kg.
The selling price of soybean oil is yet to be decided although it had procured 500 tonnes locally to supply during the holy month. The edible oil will be available in two litres and five litres plastic cans.
All commodities have been purchased locally as the international tenders for procurement of those commodities floated by the TCB earlier failed to attract bidders.
Earlier, two separate tenders were opened to procure onion and chickpeas but the prices were deemed to be high.
The quotation for onion was Tk 33.50 per kg and chickpeas between Tk 69 and 74 each kg. Two bidders participated in the chickpeas procurement bid.
However, TCB sources said it had sent proposals to the ministry of commerce to procure at least 50 tonnes of onion and 50 tonnes of chickpeas on an urgent basis.
TCB officials are expecting to get the ministry's approval shortly to procure those items.