MoC to fix prices three days before Ramadan

The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) will fix the prices of essential commodities, to be sold by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) during Ramadan, three days ahead of the holy month, officials said.   
"We have asked TCB to procure essential commodities ahead of Ramadan. We will fix their prices three days before the holy month starts," a high official of MoC told the FE.  
He said the prices of TCB-sold essentials will be lower than their retail market prices to help the limited-income people purchase those items during Ramadan.   
TCB sales dates, lentil, soybean oil, gram and sugar through trucks to ensure stable market price of these items during the month of fasting that will start during the first week of next month.
The organisation has started procuring these items for selling at different spots to the consumers at subsidised rates during Ramadan.
TCB will disburse 500 tonnes of soybean oil and 1,500 tonnes of gram to the dealers for selling in the open market through trucks during the month.
Besides, sugar and lentils will also be disbursed to the dealers as per their demand, a TCB official said. TCB will procure dates from different sources and disburse those to the dealers for sale. There are 2,952 TCB-appointed dealers across the country.
Regarding prices of the five essential items the MoC high official said TCB will provide operating expenses to its dealers at Tk 4.50, Tk 5.50 and Tk 6.50 for selling per kg of an item in areas within 50 kilometres, 51-100 kilometres and beyond 100 kilometres from TCB warehouses respectively.
Around Tk 6.52 million will be needed to provide as subsidy to the dealers this year, according to TCB.
TCB has selected 174 spots across the country for selling essential commodities during the upcoming Ramadan.
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