The government will buy another 10,000 tonnes of lentils to sell at subsidised prices to low-income families holding Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) cards. The lentils will be procured locally through the national open tendering method. The proposal was approved at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase held at the Secretariat on Wednesday, chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.

The initiative to purchase the lentils was taken following a proposal from the commerce ministry. The estimated cost is BDT 768.9 million, covered by a counter-guarantee from the finance ministry. According to the proposal, four bids were submitted after a local open tender was invited to procure 10,000 tonnes of lentils. Following evaluation, all four bidders were considered technically responsive. The Tender Evaluation Committee (TEC) subsequently recommended selecting Joytun Auto Rice & Dal Mills Ltd, Khulna, as the lowest responsive bidder after completing all tender procedures.

As recommended by the TEC, the government will purchase 10,000 tonnes of lentils from the selected supplier at BDT 76.89 per kilogramme, including transportation costs up to TCB warehouses. The total cost will be around BDT 768.9 million.

According to relevant sources at the commerce ministry, TCB has set a target of purchasing 220,000 tonnes of lentils in the 2026–27 fiscal year. So far, 17,528 tonnes have been purchased. The procurement of another 10,000 tonnes will increase TCB’s stock of lentils. The lentils will subsequently be sold at subsidised prices to low-income families holding TCB cards.

As part of the government’s food assistance programme, TCB regularly sells various essential commodities at subsidised prices to low-income families holding TCB cards. The target for procuring lentils in the current fiscal year is being implemented as part of this programme.