The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has increased the number of trucks to 28 from 25 in the capital for selling essentials during the ongoing month of holy Ramadan following good response from the consumers, an official said Sunday.
"We have increased the number of trucks to 28 from 25 in the city to facilitate more consumers to purchase essentials," TCB spokesman Md Humayun Kabir told the FE.
The TCB is now selling four types of commodities since June 10 that include sugar, soybean oil, lentils and grams through dealers at 177 selling centres by the same number of trucks in the capital and other parts of the country.
The TCB will start selling dates in the capital and other designated places across the country from today (Monday) though the sale started in Chittagong Sunday.
The sale of dates was supposed to start one week before the beginning of the ongoing month of Ramadan.
Asked about the delay in selling dates, Mr Kabir said the consignment of dates from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) arrived in Chittagong port last week which was not unloaded in time due to rains over the past few days.
"The dates were unloaded Saturday. We started selling it in Chittagong from today (Sunday)," Mr Kabir said.
Meanwhile, the sale of essentials by the TCB started getting good response from the customers due to their low price.
Visiting different TCB's truck selling points in the capital, the FE correspondent found customers expressing their happiness as they could purchase essentials at the prices lower than the prices in the retail markets.
"I'm happy to purchase sugar, lentils and grams from TCB's truck. The prices are competitive and quality of the items is good," Idris Molla, a government employee told the FE with a note of satisfaction at Fakirapool Bazar selling point on the day.
TCB is selling per kg of sugar at Tk 40, while lentils Tk 65, gram Tk 44 and per litre of pet bottled soybean oil between Tk 106 and Tk 107. It will sell dates at Tk 70 per kg.
In the city's kitchen markets per kg of sugar was sold between Tk 48 and Tk 50 Sunday while lentils depending on quality between Tk 105 and Tk 110, gram between Tk 60 and Tk 70 and per litre pet bottled soybean oil between Tk 112 and Tk 114.
The spokesman of TCB said they will increase the number of trucks if the situation demands. He, however, said the TCB's ongoing selling efforts will continue till Eid-ul-Fitr.
He said they are monitoring the sales and actions will be taken against sellers if they are found involved in irregularities.
A ministry of commerce (MoC) high official said the government has given due importance to keep the supply and prices steady and stable during Ramadan.
He said the TCB has sufficient stock of soybean, sugar and lentils so that unscrupulous traders could not hike the prices of the items artificially during Ramadan.
Of the 177 selling points, 28 are in Dhaka city, 10 in Chittagong city, five in each of the rest five divisional cities and two in each of the remaining districts across the country.
The selling centres in the capital are: Jatiya Press Club, Bangladesh Secretariat Gate, Fakirapool Bazar and Ideal School zone, Shantinagar Bazar, Shapla Chattar (intersection), Dainik Bangla intersection, Shahjahanpur Bazar, Bashaboo Bazar, Jatrabari intersection, Kaptan Bazar, Islambag kitchen market (Lalbagh), Chapra Mosque and Palashi Bazar, New Market kitchen market, Jigatola kitchen market, Khamar Bari (Farmgate), Mohakhali kitchen market, Rampura Bazar, Banasri Bazar, Agargaon Bazar, Sheorapara, Mirpur 10 intersection, Kachukhet Bazar, Mohammadpur Town Hall market, Mohammadpur Krishi Market, Abdullahpur Bazar (Uttara), Golap Shah Mazar (Gulistan), New DOHS and ECB Chattar in Mirpur.
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