TCB card holders to get addl 5kg rice from July

Some 10 million low-income card-holder families can buy an additional 5.0 kg of rice at a subsidised price alongside three existing commodities - edible oil, sugar and lentils - from July next.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said this as the chief guest while inaugurating the month-long sales drive of essential items conducted by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) among the card holders across the country, at Colony Bazar in Dhaka's Tejgaon on Tuesday.
Senior Secretary of the commerce ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh, TCB Chairman Md Ariful Hassan PSC, among others, were present at the event.
The state-owned TCB sells soybean oil, sugar and lentils every month at subsidised prices. It also sells chickpeas and dates during every Ramadan. From the next month of July, the card-holder families can buy 5.0 kg of rice at a subsidised price in addition to the three existing commodities.
However, the minister did not mention the price of the rice that will be provided to the families.
The prices of essential commodities have increased in the local market due to some global events - yet the government is trying sincerely to control the prices, said the minister.
Oil prices have already been reduced in line with the international market; discussions are going on with traders to reduce the prices of different products, except for sugar and pulses, he further said.
Mr Munshi has instructed the authorities concerned to monitor the sales drive across the country and has warned against any irregularities.
Daily necessary products are being supplied at low prices through TCB, he said, instructing the officials to monitor whether these products are reaching people's hands properly.
Actions will be taken if anyone is found involved in irregularities, warned the minister.
Replying to a question, the commerce minister said that the necessary work to convert TCB cards into smart ones is going on - smart cards will help prevent irregularities.
Some 10 million will get smart cards gradually, he told the event.
Though the world is going through a crisis because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war preceded by the Covid pandemic, the government will continue the TCB's sales drive at subsidised prices until the situation gets normal, the minister announced.
Under the month-long drive in June, a family card holder will be able to purchase 1 kg of sugar for Tk 70, 2 kg of lentils at Tk 70, and 2 litres of soybean oil at Tk 100.

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