Kamruzzaman Bablu :
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has increased the scale of its commodity sales on the occasion of Ramzan.
The state-owned entity has already increased the open market sales (OMS) trucks to 500 considering the consumers’ growing needs for its commodities.
Low and middle income people are struggling to make ends meet due to abnormal rise in prices of essentials. Therefore the demand for TCB products has increased manifold ahead of Ramzan, market sources said.
In this situation, to meet the consumers demand, TCB has increased the number of OMS trucks to 500 by supplying additional edible oil, sugar, lentil, and onions.
Of these, 100 trucks will sell goods in the capital.
However, the price of the TCB products has also been increased a bit. In its second phase commodity sale programme (began from April 1) the price of edible oil has been increased by Tk 10 per kg to make it Tk 100 in per litre and the price of pulses has been increased by Tk 5 per kg to Tk 55.
Besides, TCB has fixed the price of gram at Tk 55 per kg and date at Tk. 80 only.
“Considering the demanded of mid-low income people, TCB has already increased 100 OMS trucks with our regular sell activates while it was 400 in previous time. Of them, 80 trucks have been added in the capital and while the rest are added in the Dhaka division” Humayun Kabir, spokesperson of TCB told The New Nation on Saturday.
“TCB adjusts the prices of essentials from time to time and it’s not unreasonable” he said.According to TCB, now each dealer can draw 600 kg lentil, 700 kg sugar, 1200 litre edible oil, 600 kg gram and 100 kg dates twice in a week. Previously, a dealer was able to draw 500 kg sugar, 500 litre edible oil and 300 kg lentil in previous.
TCB’s truck sale activity will run till 6 May.
TCB has been selling products in the open market since March 16 marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On the occasion of Ramzan, the second phase has started by increasing its activity.
Meanwhile, the queue of commoners before open market sales (OMS) trucks of TCB is getting longer every day in the wake of unabated price hike of essentials.
Edible oil, sugar and some essentials have already become costlier increasing sufferings of the commoners; especially the middle and low-income group of people.
While visiting several TCB truck sales points in the capital yesterday, this correspondent found crowd of buyers standing in long queues before TCB trucks in scorching heat. People were seen buying TCB goods by standing in the line for hours.
Even a few days ago, the TCB sellers were seen waiting for buyers with loaded truck of goods in different spots in the capital for hours.
Kamul Islam, a customer from Segun Baghica Bottola’s TCB spot said, ‘I am waiting for buying some goods from 11 am. Now it is almost 12 pm. But I don’t know when I will get it. May be it will take more 20-30 minutes.”
Kamrul said, I am a private sector employee. My employer cut 30 per cent from my salary during last year lockdown which still remain same. Now I fear to lose job. So, without TCB’s goods, it is very tough to maintain family need.
Another customer from Jatiya Press Club TCB’s spot, Sumi Akter said, ” Now, price of per liter edible oil is Tk 140 in the market. But TCB is selling it at Tk 100. If I buy 5 liters of edible oil then I can save Tk 200 which is helpful for me. Other commodities also are cheap comparatively in the market. So, I lined up before the TCB truck to buy the commodities at reasonable price.
