In a move to support low-income communities, the government will extend its ongoing Open Market Sale (OMS) program to include families of garment workers in areas surrounding Dhaka city. Initially, the initiative will benefit 10 lakh such families, allowing them to purchase essential goods such as soybean oil, lentils, and sugar at subsidized prices. The program is expected to expand later to cover workers from other sectors. The decision was approved in principle during a meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs (ACCEA) on Wednesday, chaired by Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed. The expansion is part of the government's broader strategy to stabilize the market and support vulnerable populations. Currently, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), a subsidiary of the Commerce Ministry, runs the OMS program to supply essential goods at reduced rates to 1 crore low-income families across the country. The program is designed not only to alleviate financial pressure on struggling families but also to stabilize market prices amid ongoing economic challenges. TCB to procure soybean oil, sugar, lentil to sell through OMS Following the ACCEA meeting, a session of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase (ACCGP) was held, also chaired by Dr. Salehuddin, to approve several proposals for importing essential commodities. Speaking to reporters after the meetings, the adviser emphasized the government’s dual focus on increasing supply through imports and boosting domestic production. The government is importing essential goods while the private sector also contributes to the supply chain. Together, this ensures availability and helps stabilize prices, he said. He highlighted the importance of robust market monitoring to narrow the gap between import or production costs and retail prices. Due to active monitoring, this price gap is already showing a downward trend, he noted. The finance adviser clarified that the government’s existing OMS program is targeted to reach 1 crore people, and the initiative has not yet fully achieved this goal. Despite this, the new garment worker-focused extension underscores the government’s commitment to supporting vulnerable groups in a targeted manner. In addition to market stabilization efforts, Dr. Salehuddin pointed out the government’s focus on timely delivery of school textbooks for students and streamlining passport services for expatriate Bangladeshis, signaling a comprehensive approach to addressing public needs.

Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will procure 55 lakh (5.5 million) litres of soybean oil, 20,000 metric tonnes (MTs) of sugar and 20,000 MTs lentil to sell those at subsidised rates to low-income families through open market sale (OMS) programme. The Advisers Committee Council on Government Purchase (ACCGP) in a meeting on Wednesday approved a number of proposals, moved by the Commerce Ministry on behalf of its subsidiary.Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presided over the meeting. The ACCGP also approved proposals of some other ministries to award contracts to import wheat, fertiliser, and also to print and supply passport booklets and foil papers. As per proposals received approvals, the TCB will procure 55 lakh litres of soybean oil through open tenders. TCB products to be available without family card Bashundhara Multi Food Products Ltd, as a selected bidder, will supply the bulk product at a cost of Tk 91.30 crore, with per litre cost at Tk 166. The TCB will procure 10,000 MT of sugar through local open tender. As a selected bidder Meghna Sugar Refinery will supply the products at a cost of Tk 116.85 crore, with per MT at kg at 116.85. The same company will supply another 10,000 MT of sugar at a cost of Tk 115.85 crore, with per MT at kg at 115.85 The TCB will procure 10,000 MT of lentil through local open tender where Nabil Naba Foods Limited has been selected as bidder to supply the product at a cost of Tk 97.97 crore, with per kg at Tk 97.97. The same company will supply another 10,000 MT of lentil at a cost of Tk 97.22 crore, with per kg at Tk 97.22. The committee also approved a proposal of the Food Directorate to import 50,000 MT of wheat at a cost Tk 171.68 crore, with per MT at $286.08.Singapore-based Agrocorp International Pte Ltd will supply the product as selected bidder under international open bidding process. The Ministry of Home Affairs will procure 1.5 million passport booklets and 1.5 million lamination foils at a cost of Tk 61.20 crore through international open tender. England-based HID CID Limited will supply the products as the selected bidder.

Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) , the state marketing agency, will import 33 million (3.30 crore) litres of soybean oil from two companies, one from United Arab Emirates and another from Canada, through direct purchase method (DPM) without any tender process. Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in a meeting on Wednesday approved a proposal placed by the Commerce Ministry in this regard. The committee also approved two separate proposals on fertiliser import which shows that the price of urea fertiliser has substantially decreased in the global market. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtual meeting while members of the committee joined it. Read: TCB to procure soyabean oil, lentil and sugar from business groups According to the proposal, some 22 million (2.20 crore) litres of edible oil will be procured from Ferrani Polaska Spzoo Food Stuff Trading LLC, UAE (local agent: Shan Trading Ltd, Dhaka) while 11 million (1.10 crore) litres of oil from Canada INC, Canada (local agent: Haque Group, Dhaka). The entire import will cost Tk 448.82 crore, with each litre costing $1.44 (equivalent to Tk 136) valuing each dollar Tk 94.45. The TCB will sell the edible oil in bottles, each having two litres of oil. Besides, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Industries Ministry will procure 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertiliser from Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company Limited (Kafco) at a cost of Tk 157.32 crore, with each metric ton costing $557.87. Earlier, such price was $567.50 per metric ton.     The BCIC will import another 30,000 mt of bulk granular urea fertiliser from Saudi Arabia-based SABIC Agri-nutrients Company at a cost of Tk 158.15 crore, each metric ton costing $560.83. Earlier such price was 597.57 per metric ton. Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved two proposals in principle for import of fertiliser under state-to-state contracts. Under these contracts, BCIC will import 3.6 lakh metric tons of urea fertiliser from Fertiglobe Distribution Ltd, UAE, Qatar under state to state agreement while Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) will import one lakh (100,000) metric tons of MOP fertiliser from UAE-based Falco General Trading LLC. However, the two proposals will require a final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase to start the import by stretching prices.

The sale of some basic commodities by the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will try to target 1 crore (10 million) low-income families nationwide from March 20 ahead of Ramadan month, said Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Friday. TCB's products will be sold to these families in two phases, the minister told the reporters at a press conference organized by the TCB at the Export Development Bureau's conference room in Dhaka. Read: Now restaurants may have to run after TCB trucks! The sale in the first phase will start from March 20-30 and the second phase's sale from April 3-20. In order to facilitate the sale of TCB's products in a systematic manner, a list of these families has been compiled across the country and special family cards have been distributed, said the minister. Of these, 12 lakh families in Dhaka North and South City Corporation and 90,000 families in Barisal City Corporation could not be issued the family cards. And so, all of TCB's products will be sold to them through mobile trucks, he added.

The Commerce Ministry on Sunday warned of stern action against any irregularities arising in sales activities of state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) across the country.

Police in a drive arrested three people for selling Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) goods in black market in Tongi Bazar area here on Sunday night.

The onion price remained unchanged at Tk 180-200 per kg at the retail market in the capital on Monday although it fell by Tk 30-40 at the wholesale market compared to Sunday’s one.

State-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will sell onion at Tk 35 per kilogramme from tomorrow.