The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) temporarily suspended sale of essential commodities through trucks three days before the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. This has caused utter disappointment among consumers.
The suspension of sale of essential commodities at subsidised rates by the TCB has helped dishonest traders to artificially increase the prices for making windfall profits, consumers alleged.
The TCB, under its sale programme, sold sugar, lentil, soybean and aromatic rice (kalijiri/ pilau) at competitive prices that attracted a significant number of consumers, mainly of the limited income group.
Under the truck sale programme, that was suspended briefly on October 2, a kg of sugar was sold at Tk 43 while lentils between Tk 65 and 103, per litre of loose soybean at Tk 77 and pat bottle at Tk 107 at different points in the capital.
Following suspension of the TCB programme, a section of traders is allegedly selling commodities at prices higher than the rates originally prescribed in the chart, forcing consumers to pay extra money for buying essentials.
"I'm sorry that I could not purchase sugar, lentil, soybean and pilau rice (aromatic rice) from the TCB's truck dealers due to its closure days before Eid.," Abdul Alim, a government employee told the FE with a note of disappointment at Fakirerpool Bazar area Friday.
On visit to different kitchen markets at Fakirerpool, Shantinagar, Segunbagicha and Kaptan Bazar Friday, the FE correspondent found some shops hanging price charts quoting a litre of loose soybean at Tk 96, lentils between Tk 100 and 105, sugar at 44, aromatic rice at Tk 80-Tk 85.
But the traders, not hanging the charts, were selling loose soybean at Tk 100 per litre, sugar between Tk 46 and Tk 48, lentils at Tk 110 and aromatic rice between Tk 85- Tk 90 per kg at Sa Bazar, according to the customers.
Earlier, the TCB started open market sale programme at 28 points in the capital since Ramadan last and continued until Thursday drawing good response from the consumers.
Though the TCB has temporarily suspended the truck sale programme, the sale of essential commodities through its shop dealers will continue until October 16, sources said.
A high official of TCB said due to Eid-ul-Azha holidays along with Friday and Saturday, they were compelled to suspend the programme temporarily.
"We will re-launch truck sale programme soon," TCB spokesman Md Humayun Kabir told the FE.
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