TCB to sell essentials before Eid

About 3.50 lakh tonnes of sugar are on import pipeline and TCB will sell essentials through its dealers before Eid-ul Azha to stabilise the market.
Lutful Hye, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on commerce ministry, told reporters after a meeting yesterday.
The parliamentary body reviewed the price line and recommended that the government take all possible measures to stabilise the market.
The meeting was told that 3.5 lakh tonnes of sugar are on import pipeline, including 2.46 lakh tonnes by private sector. Sugar consumption is now estimated at 3,000 tonnes per day, which is likely to increase to 4,000 to 5000 tonnes per day during Eid-ul-Azha.
Hye said sugar, now selling at Tk 45 a kg, should not go beyond Tk 50 per kg during Eid. Asked if the committee recommended enacting law to fix profit margin for traders, he said the matter came up for discussion in the meeting.
TCB has opened LC for importing 20,500 tonnes of soybean oil and 5,500 tonnes of lentil, which are expected to reach before Eid, the meeting was also told.
Arrangements have been taken to sell consumers items like sugar, edible oil, spices through TCB appointed dealers. The meeting suggested the government take steps to strengthen the intelligence watch, regular market monitoring and inspection of wholesale and retail markets in the capital by law enforcing agencies to check artificial crisis by dishonest businessmen.
Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, Tipu Munshi, Abul Kashem and Rumana Mahmud attended the meeting.