The government is set to launch a month-long sales drive of essential items for around 10 million low-income families countrywide tomorrow (Thursday), sources said.
Currently, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) runs the drive at subsidised rates every month.
The State Minister for Commerce, Ahsanul Islam (Titu) MP, is expected to inaugurate the month-long programme.
Senior Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and TCB chairman Md Ariful Hassan, among others, are also expected to attend the event.
The state entity, TCB, will sell soybean oil or bran oil, rice, and lentils during the drive.
Cardholder families will be able to buy 5.0 kilogrammes of rice at Tk 30 per kg each in addition to two other commodities every month.
Besides, a cardholder will be able to buy 2.0 kg of lentils at Tk 60 per kg and 2.0 litres of soybean oil at Tk 100.
The TCB sales will also be coordinated in the district, upazila, and union council levels by the local administrations, including Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), following the list of beneficiaries.
An official said daily essentials are being supplied at low prices through the TCB.
The state-run TCB would sell five types of key essential goods in the upcoming holy month of Ramadan in two phases, he informed.
Smartcard distribution among existing cardholders has been started from November 09, 2023.
All family cardholders would get smartcards in phases, step by step, he said, expecting the rest of the smart cards by June next.
He, however, said action would be taken if anyone was found involved in anomalies during the sale of essential items.
The trade body will sell rice and onions only in the Dhaka metropolitan area, according to a TCB document.
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