Commerce adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Wednesday said that, from now on, operations of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh would be conducted through smart family cards instead of paper system.
He said this while inaugurating the TCB鈥檚 product sale operations at subsidised prices among low-income families through only smart family cards at Begunbari Dipikar Circle, Tejgaon in the capital on the day, said a commerce ministry press release.
The commerce adviser said that, at first, it was necessary to acknowledge the anarchy and corruption that took place in the product distribution programme of the TCB in the past.
鈥榃e鈥檝e done that. To eliminate that, we鈥檙e working to eliminate irregularities by digitising it,鈥� he added.
The commerce adviser said that some 6.3 million smart cards had already been distributed. 鈥楴ot only making the distribution process fair, but we also want to make the procurement process more transparent and participatory,鈥� he said.
Regarding the expansion of operations of the TCB, he said that the TCB purchased commodities worth around Tk 12,000 crore where the government provided a subsidy of Tk 4,500 crore.
Since the TCB is a big buyer, the commerce adviser said that the government wanted to involve more businessmen in TCB鈥檚 procurement activities.
鈥業f we can save Tk 1,000 crore from purchasing products worth Tk 12,000 crore,聽 then we will be able to deliver TCB products to more beneficiaries at affordable prices,鈥� he added.
Mentioning that there was no shortage of products on the market due to trade liberalisation, the commerce adviser said that the rice market was unstable to some extent due to temporary stockpiling.
The government has been ensuring strict monitoring for which the rice market will come under control very soon, he added.
Regarding the potato market, Bashir said that based on this year鈥檚 experience, potatoes would be stored officially for the next year.
鈥業nitiatives are being taken to store potatoes in storage. Imported potatoes and produced potatoes in the country will be stored there. The prices of potatoes will be under control in the future,鈥� he added.
It is mentionable that a customer holding a smart family card can buy 2 litres of edible oil at Tk 200, 2 kilogram of lentils at Tk 120 and 1 kilogram of sugar at Tk 70.
TCB chairman Brigadier General Md Mostofa Iquebal and newly appointed TCB chairman Md Faisal Azad were present among others.
