The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) is set to start today (Sunday) sale of some key essential commodities at subsidised rates for around 10 million families on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan.
The sales drive across the country will be conducted in two phases through family cards which have already been delivered to the beneficiaries, said officials.
TCB spokesperson Humayun Kabir said a total of 5.71 million families across the country will be given cards newly while 3.0 million families who were enlisted for the government's Covid-19 safety net programme will also be given the subsidised products.
He added a total of 1.2 million families will be benefitted by the truck sales of the TCB within the areas of Dhaka's two city corporations while 0.09 million people in Barishal division have also been enlisted for the facility.
Mr Kabir further said the 5.71 million cards have already been distributed through local administrations and local government representatives.
Edible oil, sugar and lentil will be sold in the first phase of the sales programme that will continue across the country until March 30 while the second phase will be started on April 03 and continue until April 20.
Gram (chola) will be added in the second phase with edible oil, sugar and lentil.
The government has taken the programme to keep prices of essentials stable during the upcoming Ramadan.
A family will be able to buy a maximum of two kgs of sugar, two kgs of lentil, two litres of soybean oil and one kg gram from the TCB sale points.
Soybean oil will be sold at Tk110 per litre, sugar at Tk55 per kg, lentil at Tk65 per kg and gram at Tk50 per kg.
However, edible oil prices are still high in the mainstream market as it is now selling at Tk160-170 a litre, coarse lentil is retailing at Tk105-115 a kg and sugar at Tk 80-90 a kg, according to market insiders.
This year, the TCB sales will be coordinated in the district, upzila and union parishad levels by the local administrations, including Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), following the list of beneficiaries.
Presently, the TCB is operating its truck sales throughout the year to keep the prices within the buying capacity of commoners.
The commerce ministry will monitor the drive continuously and a control room has already been opened for the purpose, according to sources.
Senior secretary of the commerce ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh will inaugurate the sales programme from two places at Fatullah in Narayanganj.
