TCB extends subsidised sales of Ramadan essentials

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will sell five products at subsidised prices to 1 crore families across the country twice during the month of Ramadan to provide affordable access to these items.

In previous years, the TCB used to sell these products once during Ramadan. But the corporation has decided to extend this service this time in view of high inflation and commodity price hikes.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi inaugurated the first phase of TCB product sales in the Tejgaon area of the capital on Thursday. This phase will continue till 31 March and the next phase will take place in April.

Under the programme, TCB cardholders will be able to purchase a maximum of 1kg of sugar, 2kgs of lentils, 2 litres of soybean oil, 1kg of chickpeas, and 1kg of dates from designated truck-sale points operated by the corporation.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said, "Considering the month of Ramadan, we will deliver these items to the people before Eid. The global economic crisis has affected our country. Keeping that in mind, we are making arrangements to deliver food to the poor people in two phases.

"We all need to keep an eye that all the poor people who have received the TCB cards get these items."

TCB Chairman Ariful Hassan said, "TCB's activities will be conducted in two phases ahead of Ramadan. The first phase will continue till 30 March. The next phase of the programme will start from 1 April and will continue till 15 April."

Under this facility, one crore TCB cardholders will be able to buy sugar for Tk60 per kg, lentils for Tk70 per kg, soybean oil for Tk110 per kg, chickpeas for Tk50 per kg, and dates for Tk100 per kg.

Currently, the price of sugar is Tk120-Tk125 per kg, lentils Tk120-Tk140 per kg, dates Tk250-Tk300 per kg, soybean oil Tk185 per litre, and chickpeas Tk80-Tk90 per kg at retail markets in the capital.

Designated shops or dealers, in collaboration with the city corporation, district, and upazila administrations across the country will conduct the OMS sales programme at a scheduled date and time.

However, only the cardholders living in Dhaka will get dates.

According to TCB sources, a shortage of dates has occurred this year due to Bangladesh importing fewer quantities of the fruit as a result of the dollar crisis. TCB was unable to collect the required quantity of dates for nationwide subsidised sales due to poor importation.

Meanwhile, the sale of TCB products also started on Chattogram on Thursday. Around 5.35 lakh cardholder families in the port city can buy TCB products during Ramadan.

Each cardholder family will get four daily commodities including chickpeas in a package of Tk470. Among these, one can buy chickpeas at Tk50 per kg, sugar at Tk60 per kg, a maximum of two kg of lentils at Tk70 per kg and two litres of soybean oil at Tk110 per litre.