UNB, Dhaka :
After a cut in supply due to the shortage of essential commodities in its stock, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has now opted for rotation system in the capital to keep its open market sales in trucks operational.
TCB decided to sell five essential items till June 30 from May 29 in 180 open trucks across the country at fare prices alongside 2,965 general dealers so that the low-income people can avail themselves of those commodities during Ramzan. On June 6, TCB however stopped supplying the items to its general dealers due to “shortage of the commodities”, according to President of Bangladesh TCB Dealers’ Association Md Farid Uddin Ahmed Jewel. He said although the trading corporation started supplying up to 1,850 kg of commodities to each open truck dealer from May 29, the amount was reduced to 500 kg excluding dates and soybean oil on Sunday.
The TCB also stopped delivering items at district level open trucks from June 8.
Now, it introduced a rotation system from Monday to keep the open market sales of essentials operational following the shortage as it is supplying commodities to dealers every alternative day.
It supplied around 1500 kg of commodities, excluding dates, to each of 18 out of total 33 open truck dealers in the capital, Jewel said,
adding that those left on Tuesday will be given essentials on Wednesday.
He claimed that the trading corporation is to stop the open truck sales from the middle of the current fasting month due to inadequate supply. The OMS scenario in five other divisional cities-Chittagong, Sylhet, Barisal, Rajshahi and Khulna-is also the same. TCB’s dealers claimed that the stock of most of the items will be vanished before mid-Ramadan. Meanwhile, TCB officials said they stockpiled five essential commodities — 1034 metric tons of sugar, 500 mts of soybean, 1500 mts of lentils, 1500 mts of chickpeas and 10 mts of dates – this year, taking into consideration the demands of the last three years.
However, the demand for TCB goods has seen a rise this time due to high prices of commodities in the markets that led to the crisis, said TCB spokesperson Md Humayun Kabir. In Khulna, TCB’s dealers alleged that they were selling TCB items at five points of the city with limited supply against high demand. “The existing supply will run out within 2-3 days as we don’t get the items as per the demand,” said Mostakin, a TCB dealer of Khulna city. MA Sabur, a TCB dealer in the port city of Chittagong, told UNB that the government-owned trading house started supplying the five commodities in 10 open trucks from May 29. But it stopped delivering the items from Thursday last. However, TCB’s Chittagong office could not exactly say when they will resume the distribution of the commodities, he said.
Masud, another TCB dealer of Barisal city, said they have been receiving a supply 1,100 kg of items for five open trucks. The supply will at best cater to the need of one week only, he said.
TCB essential commodities were selling in five open trucks in Sylhet city. Though TCB supplied around 1800 kg of items for each open truck, it has now been reduced to 1210 kg, said Bijoy Sarker, a TCB dealer of the city. The TCB will run out of its stock within a week if items if there is no fresh supply, he added.
Abdus Sattar, a dealer of Rajshahi city, also came up with the same allegation.
When his attention was drawn to the allegation, Anisur Rahman, chief of Rajshahi TCB’s regional office, said they cannot supply the essential commodities to all the dealers for lack of instructions from higher authorities.
Humayun Kabir said, “We supplied additional commodities at the beginning of the OMS. Now we’ve cut the supply considering our existing stock.”
After a cut in supply due to the shortage of essential commodities in its stock, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has now opted for rotation system in the capital to keep its open market sales in trucks operational.
TCB decided to sell five essential items till June 30 from May 29 in 180 open trucks across the country at fare prices alongside 2,965 general dealers so that the low-income people can avail themselves of those commodities during Ramzan. On June 6, TCB however stopped supplying the items to its general dealers due to “shortage of the commodities”, according to President of Bangladesh TCB Dealers’ Association Md Farid Uddin Ahmed Jewel. He said although the trading corporation started supplying up to 1,850 kg of commodities to each open truck dealer from May 29, the amount was reduced to 500 kg excluding dates and soybean oil on Sunday.
The TCB also stopped delivering items at district level open trucks from June 8.
Now, it introduced a rotation system from Monday to keep the open market sales of essentials operational following the shortage as it is supplying commodities to dealers every alternative day.
It supplied around 1500 kg of commodities, excluding dates, to each of 18 out of total 33 open truck dealers in the capital, Jewel said,
adding that those left on Tuesday will be given essentials on Wednesday.
He claimed that the trading corporation is to stop the open truck sales from the middle of the current fasting month due to inadequate supply. The OMS scenario in five other divisional cities-Chittagong, Sylhet, Barisal, Rajshahi and Khulna-is also the same. TCB’s dealers claimed that the stock of most of the items will be vanished before mid-Ramadan. Meanwhile, TCB officials said they stockpiled five essential commodities — 1034 metric tons of sugar, 500 mts of soybean, 1500 mts of lentils, 1500 mts of chickpeas and 10 mts of dates – this year, taking into consideration the demands of the last three years.
However, the demand for TCB goods has seen a rise this time due to high prices of commodities in the markets that led to the crisis, said TCB spokesperson Md Humayun Kabir. In Khulna, TCB’s dealers alleged that they were selling TCB items at five points of the city with limited supply against high demand. “The existing supply will run out within 2-3 days as we don’t get the items as per the demand,” said Mostakin, a TCB dealer of Khulna city. MA Sabur, a TCB dealer in the port city of Chittagong, told UNB that the government-owned trading house started supplying the five commodities in 10 open trucks from May 29. But it stopped delivering the items from Thursday last. However, TCB’s Chittagong office could not exactly say when they will resume the distribution of the commodities, he said.
Masud, another TCB dealer of Barisal city, said they have been receiving a supply 1,100 kg of items for five open trucks. The supply will at best cater to the need of one week only, he said.
TCB essential commodities were selling in five open trucks in Sylhet city. Though TCB supplied around 1800 kg of items for each open truck, it has now been reduced to 1210 kg, said Bijoy Sarker, a TCB dealer of the city. The TCB will run out of its stock within a week if items if there is no fresh supply, he added.
Abdus Sattar, a dealer of Rajshahi city, also came up with the same allegation.
When his attention was drawn to the allegation, Anisur Rahman, chief of Rajshahi TCB’s regional office, said they cannot supply the essential commodities to all the dealers for lack of instructions from higher authorities.
Humayun Kabir said, “We supplied additional commodities at the beginning of the OMS. Now we’ve cut the supply considering our existing stock.”
