After running for just two months, TCB’s truck sales have been stopped again, causing hardship for low-income people. “Sheikh Mohammad Alam, a day worker, lives with his wife and children in a rented house near Shah Ali Mazar in Mirpur, Dhaka. He does not have to work every day. On days when he gets work, his daily income ranges between 500 and 600 taka, whereas on days when he does not, he earns nothing. His wife, Rokeya Begum, works as a domestic helper in three families for a monthly salary of 9,000 taka. They have two children who go to school. Their monthly expenses include dwelling rent, school fees, books, stationery, and food, totaling 15,000 taka.”
After running for just two months: Despite everything, the family was able to get by. In this aspect, the government initiative of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) helped by delivering oil, lentils, and rice from trucks at about half the market price. However, this program was canceled on December 31. It’s unclear whether it will restart. As a result, Sheikh Mohammad Alam is very worried.
Not only Sheikh Mohammad Alam, but Shila Begum from Konapara, Abdul Halim from Basabo, and Kohinoor Begum from Madartek are also disturbed. All of them work as day laborers or in households. Every month, they received rice, oil, and lentils from TCB trucks, which relieved them of their worries. ‘When we know we have rice and lentils at home, we can concentrate on our work and our minds operate better,’ they stated. However, they are now extremely concerned because TCB has discontinued the selling of these commodities via open trucks. They anticipate it will be extremely difficult to obtain rice, oil, and lentils from the market at twice the price.
After being banned for several months, TCB resumed the program of selling oil, lentils, and rice from trucks in October. As a result, even without family cards, 24,500 people in Dhaka and Chattogram were able to acquire these things at reduced prices every day. However, the initiative was discontinued after only two months and seven days. TCB officials have declared that the previous government-initiated program to deliver subsidized TCB items to ten million families across the country will continue.
Organization officials reported that the designated period for selling discounted goods from TCB trucks to low-income persons has finished. However, many beneficiaries, unable to cope with the added financial pressures of this inflationary market, have urged that the TCB truck sale program be resumed. However, the Ministry of Commerce has declared that there are currently no plans to resume this initiative. The situation may be revisited, but no negotiations have taken place yet. The program was originally scheduled to continue until November 30, but due to inflationary pressures, it was extended until December. As a result, the TCB truck sale campaign ran until December 31, but has been halted after January.
TCB has been running a program with 50 trucks in Dhaka and 20 trucks in Chattogram since October 24, offering subsidized items at 100 taka per liter of oil, 60 taka per kilogram of lentils, and 30 taka per kilogram of rice. Under this scheme, a consumer could buy up to two liters of edible oil for 200 taka, two kilograms of lentils for 120 taka, and five kilograms of rice for 150 taka. Currently, soybean oil costs 175 to 180 taka per liter, lentils cost 110 to 115 taka per kilogram, and rice costs 65 to 75 taka per kilogram.
According to the Ministry of Commerce’s decision, starting in January of this year, TCB will only provide products to families with smart cards.” This will help only 5.7 million smart cardholders out of one crore cardholder families. For the time being, the remaining 4.3 million families without smart cards will be unable to get this government assistance. Previously, a household was given a basic paper card to buy TCB products. This old card has been terminated, and TCB has begun issuing things against smart cards instead.
When asked about this, Humayun Kabir, TCB chairman’s spokeswoman, replied that the truck selling program does not run all year. It is carried out under the Ministry of Commerce’s supervision when inflation is high or there is a great demand for specific products. As part of this, in October, it was decided to supply subsidized products to 28,000 families. The program was meant to last until November, but due to inflation, it was extended until December.
When asked why the shutdown occurred and whether inflation had decreased, he responded that the TCB did not know the answer. TCB is unaware of this, although the Ministry of Commerce is. TCB does not make decisions on its own. The TCB implements TCB-related decisions issued by the Ministry of Commerce.
He went on to clarify that truck sales are conducted as needed. When there is a great demand in the market, TCB conducts truck sales on behalf of the Ministry of Commerce. During Ramadan, chickpeas and dates are popular. In November, as the potato market turned volatile, TCB sold potatoes.
It has been claimed that the rectification of TCB’s family cards is not being finished as expected. As a result, it is unclear when the 4.3 million cardholder households would receive TCB products at subsidized prices. However, cardholders feel that these TCB goods might be a significant source of assistance for low-income households in the current market. On the other hand, government authorities claim there is no reason to be disappointed because by the beginning of March, just before Ramadan begins, all 10 million families in the country would have received TCB products.
It has been reported that the TCB family card was intended to be issued on the basis of one card per family. However, for a long period, the Awami League government used this card to advance its political agenda. Awami League leaders have occasionally distributed several cards to the families of their party workers, as well as to other families through other forms of benefits. Some families have a card in the father’s name, as well as one in the mother’s name. In addition, the family’s son’s name appears on a TCB family card.
It has been stated that this system has been in operation for a long time, which was not intended. As a result, the present interim government has chosen to re-verify the TCB family cards, which total more than 4.3 million. After the verification, all district commissioners were asked to compile a new list and submit it to the Ministry of Commerce, specifically TCB, by November 15. However, due to the dysfunctionality of the local government structure, the mission proved hard and impossible to perform. According to the relevant authorities, the process will take some time to complete.
When asked about the vehicle sale program, Commerce Advisor Sheikh Bashiruddin indicated that the government will provide TCB products to all one crore families using smart cards. There are no current plans to run the truck sale program. However, the advisor stated that the situation may be revisited.
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