The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will expand its product lineup from November by adding five new essentials – tea, salt, detergent and two varieties of soap.
Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin disclosed the decision while speaking to reporters after a meeting with officials at the Secretariat on Monday.
He said the move is aimed at giving low-income families great relief while also helping to tackle inflationary pressures.
“By adding these five products, we are widening the scope of support for ordinary citizens. This will strengthen the government’s efforts to keep essentials affordable,” he noted.
The government has already allocated nearly Tk 5,000 crore in subsidies to sustain TCB operations, which has played a critical role in balancing supply and demand in the market, the adviser added.
He stressed the importance of transparency in identifying beneficiaries, saying: “Officials must work responsibly to ensure that one crore eligible people are properly included. No disadvantaged citizen should remain outside the safety net.”
The adviser further called for accelerated efforts to finalise beneficiary selection and smart card activation nationwide, particularly in major city corporations, within the coming month.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman highlighted that accurate identification remains the key challenge in selecting beneficiaries. At present, 6,034,316 cards are active, while 3,39,454 cards are awaiting activation.
Officials from Dhaka south and north city corporations, Narayanganj and Gazipur city corporations, as well as additional deputy commissioners and UNOs from Dhaka and nearby districts.
