State-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh on Thursday started selling essential commodities at subsidised rates to both its cardholders and non-cardholders, amid a surge in the prices of essential commodities.
Labour ministry adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan inaugurated the sales programme in the Begunbari area in the capital Dhaka, under which the TCB began open market sales through mobile trucks at 50 locations in the Dhaka city and at 20 locations in the Chattogram city.
During the inauguration, the adviser announced that the government would take the strictest measures to dismantle market syndicates responsible for price manipulation.
To prevent the price disorder on the commodity market, the government would establish an alternative agricultural market, he said.聽聽聽
Earlier, the TCB in a statement said that the open market sales of commodities would continue until November 30, and the programme might be extended if inflation does not reach a tolerable level.
On the first day of the operation, long queues of low- and fixed-income people were seen at various locations in the city on Thursday, waiting behind TCB trucks to buy five kilograms of rice, two kilograms of red lentils, and two litres of soybean oil for Tk聽470.
On the same day, the prices of some of the essential commodities, including soya bean oil, witnessed a fresh rise on the local market.
According to the TCB data, the price of soya bean oil increased by Tk聽3-4 a litre and the unpackaged soya bean oil sold for Tk聽155-160 a litre on Thursday.
The price of palm oil increased by Tk聽3-4 a litre and the item sold for Tk聽150-153 a litre in the city markets on the day.
The TCB data showed that the prices of local onions increased by Tk 20 a kilogram and sold for Tk聽115-130 a kilogram while the price of sugar increased by Tk 3 a kilogram and the item sold for Tk聽130-135 a kilogram on Thursday.
The government has recently reduced import duties on six commodities, including rice, edible oil, sugar, onions, potatoes and eggs, to lower prices, but consumers are yet to see the benefit.
Labour adviser Asif Mahmud said that the government was working to limit the activities of middlemen between producers and consumers.
In this regard, private companies involved in social business by connecting entrepreneurs and consumers will receive maximum support from the government, he said.
鈥楢s part of the government鈥檚 long-term plan to curb commodity price increases, it is considering the introduction of alternative agricultural markets, where farmers can sell directly to consumers,鈥� the adviser said.
According to the TCB, commodities were being sold at subsidised prices to one crore low-income beneficiary families holding family cards, and arrangements have now been made to allow the people without card to purchase edible oil, red lentils and rice at subsidised prices.
