Govt launches open market sales of essentials today

The government is set to launch open market sale (OMS) of key essential items today (Sunday) to keep prices within the buying capacity of the common people during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), a state-owned agency, would sell essential commodities in different parts of the country, using 400 trucks. Besides, the existing dealers of the agency would also sell the commodities across the country.

Sugar, soybean oil and red lentils will be sold through trucks, according to the TCB.

The OMS programme will continue across the country until June 17, says a press release issued by the TCB.

Soybean oil would be sold at Tk 100 per litre while Tk 55 has been fixed for each kilogram of sugar and Tk 55 for each kilogram of lentils.

A consumer can buy maximum four kilograms (kgs) of sugar, two kgs of lentils and five litres of soybean oil from trucks-arranged by dealers or TCB sale centres.

Each truck will be loaded with 600-800 kgs of sugar, 300-600 kgs of red lentils and 800-1,200 litres of soybean oil every day.

Currently, around 2,800 dealers are listed with the TCB in the country.