The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will add five new products to its sales list starting November. The new products include tea, salt, detergent, and two types of soap.
This information was announced on Monday, 29 September, at a meeting held in the conference hall of the Ministry of Commerce. The meeting focused on beneficiary selection and activation of TCB services, with Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin presiding.
Officials from Dhaka South City Corporation, Dhaka North City Corporation, Narayanganj City Corporation, Gaziipur City Corporation, as well as Additional District Commissioners and Upazila Executive Officers from surrounding districts of Dhaka, attended the session.
The government provides approximately BDT 5,000 crore in subsidies to operate TCB activities. According to the Trade Adviser, this ensures balance between market demand and supply.
Adding the five new products to TCB’s ongoing sales operations is expected to:
- Provide additional relief to low-income families
- Help control inflation
Sheikh Bashir Uddin highlighted the need for responsible officials to ensure the accurate selection of one million beneficiaries. He emphasised that no vulnerable person should fall outside the social safety net.
“My expectation is that TCB’s Smart Family Cards reach the genuine beneficiaries. When issuing cards, their identity should reflect that they are impoverished or helpless, and government assistance must reach them,” he said.
He also urged visible progress within the next month in beneficiary selection and card activation across all city corporations nationwide.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman noted that beneficiary identification is currently the main challenge. Additionally, the pace of activity in some city corporations is slower than expected. However, he expressed optimism that the issues would be resolved quickly.
Speakers at the meeting included:
| Name | Position |
| Mohammad Ejaz | Administrator, Dhaka North City Corporation |
| Md. Abdur Rahim Khan | Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce (Exports) |
| Brigadier General Mohammad Faisal Azad | Chairman, TCB |
The meeting also provided the latest figures for TCB’s Smart Family Card programme:
| Status | Number of Cards |
| Active cards | 6,034,316 |
| Cards awaiting activation | 339,454 |
The programme continues to be a key component of TCB’s effort to deliver government support directly to low-income families and stabilise market prices.
