TCB to launch Eid-ul-Azha truck sales Monday

The government will launch a nationwide mobile truck sale programme of essential commodities through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) on Monday ahead of Eid-ul-Azha to ease pressure on consumers amid rising prices.

According to an official announcement signed by Md Shahadat Hossain on Sunday, the special programme will run from 11 to 22 May, excluding Fridays, through 720 mobile trucks across the country.

Under the initiative, TCB products including edible oil, sugar and lentils will be sold at subsidised prices to the general public alongside the ongoing programme for low-income cardholder families.

In Dhaka metropolitan area and district, 50 trucks will operate daily, while 20 trucks will run in Chattogram metropolitan area and district. In the remaining six divisional cities and their respective districts, 15 trucks will operate in each area, while 10 trucks will run in each of the other 56 districts.

Each truck will serve around 400 consumers daily, benefiting nearly 29 lakh people during the programme. Around 13,939 tonnes of products will be sold through the truck sales.

Consumers will be able to buy up to two litres of edible oil at Tk130 per litre, one kilogram of sugar at Tk80 per kg and two kilograms of lentils at Tk70 per kg. Any consumer can purchase products from the mobile trucks, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, around 72 lakh TCB cardholder families will receive subsidised products in May under the regular programme. Nearly 34,848 tonnes of products will be distributed among cardholders during the month.

Officials said the quantity and prices of edible oil, sugar and lentils for cardholders would remain unchanged.