Targeting the month of Ramadan, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has started selling some essential commodities in order to control prices in the markets. TCB has distributed their commodities through 82 dealers from June 24.
Unfortunately the dealers in Rajshahi have not been interested in selling these commodities. Some dealers have already stopped taking commodities from the TCB as they are more expensive than the market price. Seeking anonymity, one of the dealers said they are not making any profit by selling the commodities of TCB as the price is higher than the market price. The consumers have not been willing to stand in long queues to purchase TCB commodities as they are available in the market at a lower price.
The TCB Rajshahi office said the dealers are selling sugar at Tk44 per kg, pulses at Tk70 per kg, chola at Tk60 per kg, soybean oil (bottle) at Tk121 per litre to the consumers. According to the TCB rules, a consumer can purchase a maximum of 4kg of sugar, 3kg of pulses, 3kg of chola and 5 litres of soybean oil at a time. Sugar is sold at Tk43-45 while chola is at Tk58-60.
TCB Rajshahi office chief Mahbubur Rahman said the price of some commodities, especially sugar and chola, had fallen after the introduction of these commodities. He said the TCB had distributed the commodities for the first phase and there will be two more phases in the month of Ramadan.
