What more TCB can do?

Providing subsidized food items among the hapless poor, and low-income group people through the truck sale of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) in the capital draws the attention of many. The long queues of hard-pressed consumers in front of a helpless TCB outlet with meager stock raises the question about how effective is the initiative of the government in these trying times of price pressures crippling the poor and fixed income group. Feeding one crore people across the country through only supplying four items, as envisioned by the government, has proved to be a futile exercise, and dangerously inadequate. Corona-affected people, a considerable of whom is still jobless, curse themselves for being in a situation of waiting for hours for TCB products, and returning home empty-handed. It is a double whammy for those who are forced to line up to feed their families.

The TCB is selling soybean oil at Tk 110 per litre, sugar at Tk 55 per kg, lentils at Tk 65 per kg, and onion at Tk 30 per kg. Each consumer is eligible to buy a maximum of 2 litres of soybean oil, two kg of lentils and sugar each, and 5 kg of onion under the OMS programme. Every day, the corporation supplies 2,500 kg – 2,600 Kg goods to 150 enlisted dealers in the capital. So, each truck can roughly serve 240 – 300 buyers. While the scheme of the government deserves appreciation, the quantity of the products and coverage should be enhanced and broadened. To lessen the hassles, packet foodstuff may be sold, instead of weighing the items on spots. Dealers of the TCB must be transparent so that syndication does not malign the process. “Some people have made a syndicate. They are filling up the front of the line, buying up the goods, and then selling the essentials in secret at a profit,” a buyer said while waiting near a TCB truck in the Manda area. The grievances of puzzled TCB customers are published in this daily on Sunday. The report states a significant number of people have been lining up across Dhaka to buy essential commodities at subsidised prices from Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) trucks, but many are returning home empty-handed due to an inadequate supply of goods, and alleged syndication. Several people, who could not buy anything from TCB trucks even after standing in line under the scorching heat all day, complained that the trucks are not carrying enough essential commodities to cover a larger number of buyers.

Soaring prices of commodities keep eroding the purchasing powers of consumers. Each item in the kitchen market is spiraling, and going beyond the financial capacity of buyers. While the official inflation figure of the government is close to six per cent, a local think-tank called SANEM recently calculated the inflation above double the figure of the Bureau of Statistics. Supply disruption, cost escalation in importing countries, and a monopolistic attitude of a section of greedy traders made the market for essential items beyond the reach of common people. Key food items like edible oil, wheat, and beef hit an all-time high. Ahead of Ramadan, to fix the volatility in the market serious attention from the government is needed and ethical business practice is essential for all types of businesspersons.

We urge the finance ministry for more allocation on marketing the subsidized food items across the country. It is the foremost priority of the government to feed its people and prop up the vulnerable families from price pressures. In some cases, the government can undertake a scheme to distribute free cooked meals among the slum dwellers.

The inflationary situation in Bangladesh is not a unique case; rather it is the global picture. Stagflation, pandemic, and war don’t seem to go anytime soon. Resource and research to handle the situation are equally important now. How ready the government is!