Kamruzzaman Bablu :
The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has decided to refix the price of lentil at Tk 65 a kilogram, effective from today (Thursday).
According to the new price, from now on, per kg red lentil will cost Tk65 instead of Tk 60.
On Wednesday, the corporation sent a press release to the media in this regard.
However, the price of Soyabeen oil has been kept unchanged at Tk110, sugar at Tk 55 and onion at Tk30.
Meanwhile within just four months, the governments entity TCB is likely to enhance the price of commodities again in its the open market sale (OMS) programme. Just four months ago, the TCB sold its per kg lentil at Tk 50 under the OMS. While talking, TCB Joint Director and Dhaka Region Office Information Officer Md Humayun Kabir said that the TCB has been continuing its truck sale operations as an emergency service during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Office has decided to sit with the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh today (Thursday) to discuss their plan for substantial
sales of essentials during the holy month of Ramadan.
Authorities have reasons to believe that due to income erosion, because of Covid-19 pandemic, many people stand in queue up to buy essential products at cheaper prices from the TCB trucks during the fasting month, officials said.
An official of the Commerce ministry said the government wants to address the buying pressure from the Muslim people as much as it can, especially in Dhaka. Income of a number of people fell drastically due to job loss amid the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic and other reasons, he said.
PMO Director General II, Md Azizur Rahman, will preside over the meeting that will discuss TCB’s preparation about their plan during the Ramadan month which will begin in the first week of April.
Two CEOs of the Dhaka City Corporation, Chairman of TCB, additional secretary to the Commerce Ministry and Joint Secretary to the finance ministry will also attend the meeting.
This year, TCB started selling four food products at affordable prices from January 3. The public marketing agency is now selling Soybean oil, lentils, sugar and onions at lower prices on trucks. Every day some 400 to 450 mobile trucks are selling goods in all the metropolitan areas and through to the districts and upazilas.
As part of their plan, the TCB had already started selling a record amount of products in the open market. TCB officials claim, they have taken extensive preparations to that end, two to three months prior to the Ramadan month.
A number of tenders have already been called for purchasing some essential consumer items and storing them in the TCB’s warehouses.
TCB dealers will then be instructed to sell those products to a wide range of buyers. Officials said, initiatives have been taken to prevent any pilferage of these commodities into the black market.
“If any dealer gets involved with selling products elsewhere, legal action will be taken by TCB,” Humanuya Kabir, the TCB spokesman, told The New Nation.
“We have a large plan centring the Ramadan. The number of trucks would be increased to 650 from the current 450 a month ahead of Ramadan”, he added.
