TCB starts selling essentials across the country

The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has started selling essential items across the country at a subsidized rate.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Tuesday formally inaugurated the operations of the selling the commodities marking the nation mourning, reports BSS. 

Some one-crore families across the country having cards will be able to buy such essential items in phases.

In this phase, the low income group people would be able to buy at a time two liters of soybean oil at Taka 110 per liter, two KGs of lentil at Taka 65 per KG, one KG of sugar at Taka 55 and two KGs of onion at Taka 20 per KG. However, onion will be sold only at city corporation areas and in those districts having regional offices of TCB.

Talking to BSS, Commerce Ministry’s Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh on Monday said that the selling of TCB products across the country this time would start today and will continue till August 14.

“Some one-crore people this time will be able to buy TCB products and hopefully there will be no disruption,” he added.

TCB officials said the consumers would be able to buy TCB products from the selected distributors across the country, but selling of such products will not begin at the same date.

The TCB would start distributing the essential items after preparing the lists of the distributors with the support of the concerned city corporation, district and upazila administration.

The TCB officials said the corporation would not sell essential items this time through trucks rather from the shops of the distributors or from their designated places through family cards.

“TCB normally sale products covering almost 30-40 lakhs people, but this year we have started the programme with a target to reach at least one crore families at the grass route level,” said TCB Chairman Brigadier General M Ariful Hasan.

In Dhaka city, the TCB Chairman said the programme will be conducted through the two city corporations, adding that almost 12.50 lakh families in the capital will get the TCB products.

The products will be sold in every ward areas under two city corporations through dealers. “A particular family in the capital will get products for two times as huge floating people are living in the capital,” said the TCB top boss.

Apart from this, the country-wide selling programme including all metropolitan cities excluding the capital, districts, upazilas and union will start from today and it will continue till August14.

TCB chief said the selling programme outside the capital will be operated under the supervision of the concerned Deputy Commissioners (DCs).  The distribution of the commodity will be ensured only for the enlisted people at the grassroots level across the country, the TCB official added.