Key commodity sales for 10m families from Sunday

The government is set to launch the sale of key essential items for an estimated 10-million cardholder families countrywide from next Sunday (October 15).
Commerce minister Tipu Munshi is expected to inaugurate the month-long sales drive at a programme.
Senior commerce secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and TCB chairman Md Ariful Hassan, among others, will also attend the event.
The state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will sell soybean oil, sugar, rice, lentil and onion in the drive at subsidised prices.
From designated TCB sales points, cardholders can buy 5.0 kilogram of rice at the rate of Tk 30 per kg in addition to four other commodities every month.
According to an official, daily essential products are being supplied at low prices through the TCB.
The 10-million families would get smartcards in phases, he said.
The official, however, said it is supposed to sell sugar during the next drive as per its stock.
Action would be taken if anyone is found involved in any irregularity or corruption during the sale of these key items, he warned.
A family cardholder will be able to buy 1.0 kg of sugar at Tk 70, lentil at Tk 60 per kg, onion at Tk 35 per kg and 2.0 litres of soybean oil at Tk 100 per litre.
The state-owned TCB will sell rice and onion only in the Dhaka metropolitan area.
A TCB document cited October 15 to kick off the sales drive and it has already obtained approval from commerce ministry.
All preparations have been taken to this end.

rezamumu@gmail.com