TCB dealership to become permanent: Govt reverses decision on sugar price hike
Staff Reporter :
The government has recently updated the list of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) cardholders through collaboration with local public representatives across the nation.
Additionally, the TCB has decided to retract its earlier decision to hike sugar prices by Tk 30 per kg, bringing the price back to Tk 70 per kg.
State Minister for Commerce, Ahsanul Islam Titu, disclosed this information while inaugurating the TCB’s commodity sales programme in Tejgaon area of the city on Thursday.
The state minister acknowledged that the recent increase in sugar prices, from Tk 70 to Tk 100 per kg, was a result of an error on their part.
Addressing concerns over the price hike, the state minister openly admitted, “This was our own mistake, and for that, I extend my apologies. Moving forward, we will exercise greater caution to prevent minor issues from escalating into major ones.”
On Thursday, the TCB continued to sell sugar at Tk 70 per kg, maintaining the price despite earlier considerations of raising it to Tk 100 per kg.
Responding to inquiries from journalists, the state minister assured that despite a recent fire at a sugar mill in Chattogram, there is no imminent risk of a sugar crisis. He reassured the public, saying, “A few days ago, there was a fire at a sugar mill, but you can be rest assured that the existing sugar stock is sufficient.”
Furthermore, the state minister announced plans to make TCB dealerships permanent in the future, eliminating the need for people to endure long queues. Cardholders will have the convenience of collecting products at their preferred time. The state minister
emphasised, “The market management system will be strengthened, and the supply line of the products will be kept smooth.”
TCB, operating under the commerce ministry, recently raised the sales price of sugar by 43 percent, or Tk 30 per kg, as part of efforts to manage subsidy bills. However, this decision has since been reversed, with the price remaining at Tk 70 per kg.
The state-run agency recently announced that it will sell sugar at Tk 100 per kg starting today (March 7), along with offering subsidised rates for other essential items such as soybean oil, lentils, dates, and rice to approximately one crore TCB cardholder families.
Currently, sugar is being sold at retail markets in Dhaka for Tk 140-Tk 150 per kg, indicating a significant price reduction for TCB cardholders.
According to sources within the Commerce Ministry, there are a total of 10 million low-income individuals who hold TCB cards, allowing them to access essential items at affordable prices across the country.
