Kamruzzaman Bablu :
The two most highly demanded items of the TCB (Trading Corporation of Bangladesh) to customers during Ramzan have ended in the midway.
According to customers, dates of the TCB were very demanding because of their quality and lower price than the market this year. As a result, 100 tonnes dates were sold within ten days of the start of sale that began on May 4.
On the other hand, 1,500 tonnes of gram were also finished within one month of sale. This product’s demand was also high to the customers. Though 10 Ramzan is still there, there is no stock of these two essential commodities in the TCB’s stock.
Asked to know, Jewell Ahmed, President of TCB Dealers Association, told The New Nation on Friday that the quality of TCB’s products is good this year then the last several years. But the authority allocated less quantity then the demand this year. As a result, the sale of these two essential commodities finished before noon every day. So, we have nothing to do, though the customers demand is high. According to TCB, the state-owned organigation stated sale of dates and other commodities from May 4. Each person allowed to buy per kg date at Tk 135 whereas per kg date was selling in open market at Tk 300. After the launch of the programme, demand of date sales were high in both truck and permanent sales centre.
On May 9, after two days of starting of Ramzan, the TCB statred its gram sale scheme at open market. Its prices was also less by Tk 20 to Tk 25 then the open market. Customers bought per kg gram at Tk. 80 to Tk.85 in open market while TCB’s gram was sold at Tk.60 only. A consumer may bought highest 4 kg grams in a day.
Besides, the TCB sold per kg sugar at Tk.47, the price of lentil per kg at Tk.44 and oil at Tk.85 per liter whereas Tk 20 to Tk 30 was high in per kg at open market.
The TCB started its sale programme during Ramzan considaring the low and middle income groups of people in 187 points across the country through mobile truck sale.
Since the bigining of the programme, a huge crowded of customers were witnessed in each sale point in the capital. The customers were also satisfied over the low price as well as quality of the commodities.
Howevere, the customers alleged that there was a slow motion of monitoring in every sales point. Monitoring should should have been strong both at trucks and parmanent dealers sales centres, they said.
