The Adviser to the Ministry of Commerce, Textiles, and Jute of the interim government, Sheikh Bashir Uddin, announced that over 4 million Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) cards have been cancelled.
He said this during a meeting with the Dinajpur district administration, dignitaries, and TCB dealers on Thursday afternoon
“Cancellation and addition are both dynamic processes. We are in the middle of this procedure,” he said in response to questions from journalists.
He added: “We are travelling to various regions. We have visited Rajshahi, now Dinajpur, and will visit other districts as well. Our primary goal is to streamline the TCB and transition to a smart card system.”
He also said: “Both the outgoing and newly appointed TCB chairmen are actively involved in this initiative. The three of us are working to understand the issues holistically.”
In response to questions about the operational status of Biral Land Port, Sheikh Bashir Uddin said: “The individual responsible for the port would be better suited to answer. I do not have sufficient information on this matter at the moment.”
Regarding steps to reopen the long-closed Dinajpur Textile Mill, he said: “Currently, I don’t have any information about this. Once I learn more, I will inform you.”
Present at the meeting were newly appointed TCB Chairman Brigadier General Faisal Azad, outgoing Chairman Brigadier General Mostafa Iqbal, and other officials.
Earlier, Sheikh Bashir Uddin visited the homes of TCB smart family card beneficiaries Zahidul Islam and Kanailal Roy in Ward 1 of Ramchandrapur Union in Kaharol Upazila of Dinajpur. During the visit, he inquired about the benefits and overall impact of the TCB cards.