Every day, the line of people waiting in front of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) supply and sales centers is growing longer. Even though they have doubled the supply, TCB is still unable to meet the demand of people coming to buy goods. After waiting for hours in front of the trucks, many are returning empty-handed.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), last month the food inflation rate slightly decreased to 9.24 percent. Experts say that overall inflation, including food, is still far above manageable levels. People’s real income is not increasing, and that is why the crowd of low-income individuals looking to buy affordable goods from TCB trucks keeps growing. Even with an increased supply of goods, TCB is still struggling to meet the demand.
Previously, TCB sold goods from 130 trucks across the country—60 in divisional cities, 50 in Dhaka, and 20 in Chattogram. Now, they are distributing goods from 280 additional trucks in 56 district towns. In the past, each truck was serving 200 people. Since March, each truck is now supplying goods for 400 customers. Altogether, TCB is selling goods through 410 trucks across the country. Additionally, through family cards, they are selling goods to 6.3 million households as part of their regular operations.
Despite these efforts, TCB is still unable to meet the demand of low-income people who want to buy affordable goods. After waiting in long lines, many are leaving empty-handed. At the TCB dealer’s truck, Messrs. Brothers Enterprise, in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, the line of people had stretched all the way to the main road. After 3 pm, when the goods ran out, the truck had to leave. Sixty-something Asha Begum, who could not get anything, told Bonik Barta, “I’ve been in line since morning, but couldn’t buy anything. I’ll stand in line again tomorrow.”
When asked about the shortage of goods and the growing number of low-income people leaving empty-handed, TCB’s Joint Director, Mohammad Humayun Kabir, told Bonik Barta, “We’re doing our best to ensure that every poor person in each area gets goods. That’s why we change locations every day. In November, we provided goods to 350 families daily on each truck in Dhaka alone. Now, 50 trucks are distributing goods across the entire city. In December, we increased that number from 350 to 400. This doesn’t even include the family card distribution. We are trying everything within our capacity to ensure no one goes home empty-handed. We hope to increase this number in the future based on demand. We’ve informed the policymakers about this.”
On TCB trucks, essential goods are sold at comparatively lower prices. For example, cooking oil is sold at BDT 100 per liter, lentils at BDT 60 per kilogram, sugar at BDT 70 per kilogram, chickpeas at BDT 60 per kilogram, and 500 grams of dates at BDT 155. Customers can buy these products for almost BDT 400 less than the market price.
However, sources say that while the number of buyers is increasing, TCB lacks the capacity to handle the demand. The organization, which depends on loans, has been facing increasing losses in recent years due to a lack of capital. As a result, TCB is unable to supply products according to market demand. Dealers bringing TCB trucks to supply goods are facing frustration from customers who are unable to buy after waiting in long lines.
At the New Bismillah Store, TCB’s dealer in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi 15 (old) bus stand area, goods were sold out by 4 pm yesterday. After the supply ended, 20-25 people were seen heading home empty-handed. One of them, Abdul Gafur Mia, said, “I got in line after Jumma prayers. But I couldn’t buy anything as the goods ran out. It’s difficult to manage food during Ramadan. It would’ve been good if I could have bought something. If I buy from the market, I won’t be able to afford even half of what I need. That’s why I came here.”
Economists are concerned that if food inflation is not controlled in the coming days, it could worsen the situation for low-income people. Agricultural economist Dr. Jahangir Alam told Bonik Barta, “With the winter season ending, the supply of vegetables will decrease in the coming months. This could lead to a price hike. If we can’t increase supply and control the market, rice prices could go up as well. In that case, inflation could rise significantly. For this, we must take immediate action to increase agricultural production and fill the production gap through necessary imports.”