The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has prepared 57 lakh smart family cards for consumers to avoid duplication while selling essential products at lower prices.

Currently, the number of such cards is one crore across the country and 57 lakh cards are ready, while 43 lakh cards are yet to be verified by local administrations before TCB updates the information, said today the spokesperson for the public entity Humayun Kabir (November 9).

Addressing a press conference at the TCB office in Tejgaon in the capital, he said the updated information is necessary to reduce duplication of family card beneficiaries of the same families.

He also announced that TCB would sell five essential products at affordable prices in Dhaka and four products in areas outside the capital during the upcoming month of Ramadan.

Stating that TCB has completed all necessary preparations for this purpose, Humayun assured that there would be no shortage of products during Ramadan.

He said edible oil, lentils and sugar are sold all year round by trucks. Additionally, chickpeas and dates will be sold in Dhaka during Ramadan. In areas outside Dhaka, chickpeas will be added to the list of other three products.

The calls for tenders and offers for the acquisition of these products have been finalized. To ensure transparency, the products will be sold via smart family cards from January 2025, Humayun added.

On the allegations of irregularities against the dealers, he said these were being looked into and the registration of new dealers was currently suspended as an official announcement was yet to come.

“Recruitment of any new dealers will be announced in the media and on the TCB website in the future,” he said reading from a written statement.

He further mentioned that the TCB monitoring process was hampered due to political and governmental change, resulting in reshuffle of deputy commissioners and absence of advisors. However, efforts are underway to resolve these issues.

During the press briefing, he also urged the media to remain aware of their responsibility when publishing information about the organization’s lack of coordination.