Dealers show poor response to TCB-supplied items in Sylhet

SYLHET, June 27: Most of the dealers of state-run TCB in Sylhet have no interest in selling food items to the common men during the Ramadan this year. Only 8 out of 206 dealers drew their allotment in the Sylhet division last week.
As per government decision, the TCB started selling some items through their enlisted dealers on the eve of Ramadan.
But, the dealers alleged they have lost interest seeing poor demand from the buyers mainly due to narrow gap between the market price and TCB rates. They also alleged poor quality goods supply from the TCB godowns.
However, the officials said considering the market rates, the prices had been reduced. Even then only 10 dealers drew their allotment, an official admitted.
There 107 dealers are in Sylhet, 25 in Sunamganj, 28 in Moulvibazar and 44 are in Habiganj district. Of them 5 in Sylhet, 2 in Habiganj and one in Moulvibazar drew the items from godown.
TCB dealers sell Chhola (gram) for Tk 53 per kg, Mosur dal for Tk 103, sugar for Tk 37 and 5-kg Soyabean oil bottle for Tk 440 and 2-litre for Tk 178. The sale would continue till the end of Ramadan.
Dealer Fazlul Haque, who didn't draw his allotment said the buyers almost have no interest on items like sugar and others due to the balance pricing in open market. Moreover the quality is also poor, he alleged.
Sylhet divisional in charge of TCB Jalal Uddin Ahmed said the dealers interest this year is comparatively poor and only 8 collected their allotment. But he refuted the allegation about poor quality of Sugar and others. The dealers' facility has also been raised, the official said adding, we have a good stock too.
Director of the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce & Industry-Md. Layes Uddin said now the traders are less interested in TCB-supplied items due to high price and low quality. Besides, market monitoring by the officials is also absent. The state-run organisation failed to play its due role in the market, he commented.
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