Short supply of subsidised Ramadan staples

Dealers of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) in Nilphamari demanded the allocation of adequate supplies of consumer goods during the month of Ramadan as low to middle-income group consumers come to their selling centres in large numbers because the quality of commodities is high while the rates are more reasonable than in the open markets.

TCB started selling essential commodities like sugar, soyabean oil, chickpea and mushur pulses at different spots in the district town from June 1.

Per day allotment against a dealer is only 400 kg sugar, 900-litre soyabean oil, 500 kg chickpea and 200 kg mushur pulses, which is inadequate to meet demand.

The government rate is Tk 48 for a kg of sugar, Tk 80 for soyabean oil, Tk 70 for chick peas, and Tk 90 for mushur pulses, while they are being sold in the open market at Tk 60, Tk 90, Tk 85 and Tk 130, respectively.

Customers are favouring TCB goods due to quality and prices which, unlike in previous years, are better than in the market.

Rahmatullah Ruhul, president of the TCB dealers' association in Nilphamari, told this correspondent that they were supposed to sell goods from trucks at different points from 9:00am to 4:00pm, but due to the scanty supply and high demand, the goods are sold out within 2-3 hours, forcing many customers to return home empty handed. A buyer can purchase a maximum of 4 kg sugar, 5 litres soybean oil, 5 kg chickpea and 2 kg mushur pulses.

“On some days, we face unwanted situations, sometimes leading to scuffles, as customers wrongly think that we are intentionally not selling the goods to them though we simply don't have enough stock,” he added.

On a visit to the bazaar selling centre at 12:30pm yesterday, it was found that the stock of the commodities was all sold out, but people were still standing around arguing with the TCB staff.

Abdul Hafiz, a rickshaw puller, said he had been standing in the queue for a long time to buy chickpeas and soyabean oil, but the dealer suddenly declared that the day's stock was finished and those who wanted to buy goods should return on the following day.

Another customer, day labourer Dhoroni Roy, alleged that the local shopkeepers send their employees as customers to buy the items from the TCB centres, and then sell them at market prices.

Many customers expressed dissatisfaction that TCB was not supplying dates and onions, which are important during Ramadan.

TCB dealer Sottyen Roy said, “We raised the issue at the market monitoring committee meeting this week, requesting the district administration to make arrangements for higher allotments of TCB goods. They assured us of taking measures.”

Ershadul Habib, ADC general of the district collectorate, also in charge of monitoring the markets, said the district administration had drawn the attention of the higher authorities of the ministry concerned to consider the matter. They also advised local dealers to handle the situation until their demand was met, he added.

Contacted, Miskatul Alam, in-charge of TCB in Rangpur region, said they had sufficient stock of goods in their godowns and the dealers could get their allotment without hindrance twice a week.

Regarding the demand of the Nilphamari dealers, he said that the dealers of other districts are demanding the same, and it was a matter to be decided by the commerce ministry.