Long queues near TCB trucks as women struggle for access

The recent price hike of essentials has dealt a critical blow to the poor and the middle-income people of the country – who are still reeling from the Covid-induced economic stagnation.

Prices of almost all essential commodities have gone up, making it very difficult for the general people to meet their daily needs.

The soaring prices of essentials such as edible oil, rice, lentil, onion, and vegetables, has forced many to rush to the open market sale (OMS) conducted by Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) trucks to buy the commodities at lower prices.

One of the many was Rabeya. 

She, along with her nine-month-old child, had to wait in a long queue for several hours to buy cooking essentials at subsidised prices from a TCB truck near the capital's Tally Office Road in Rayer Bazar.

Rabeya, while speaking with The Business Standard, said,  "Only a mother understands what she has to endure while waiting in this line," she said.

To make matters worse for her and the 200 others (half of them being women) – farcically sweating under the scorching heat of the Sunday sun – the TCB truck, despite reaching the designated location around 11am, opened sales almost an hour later. 

When asked about the delay, Mohammad Alamin, a TCB dealer supervising the concerned truck, said, "We have been told to start sales after informing the local councillor. I have called ( (Councillor Iliasur Rahman) him eight times. 

"He is yet to answer his phone. I will wait another 10 minutes and then open sales."

Alamin, who had brought 1000kg of onions, 500 litres of edible oil, 500kg of pulses, and 500kg of sugar, started selling the essential goods at around 11:50am.

A person can buy a maximum of 2kg of sugar at Tk110, 2 litres of soybean oil at Tk220, 5kg onion at Tk150, 2kg of pulses at Tk130.

The total package costs Tk610 and an individual has to buy the whole package.

Seventy-year-old Osman, a cook by profession, after a long wait, managed able to buy the essential goods. 

He said, "I have fallen sick. So had to give up cooking. I beg to feed my family."

However, Farida Begum, who had been waiting in the queue for almost two hours, got frustrated and decided to go back home.

"The line today (20 March) is too long. I won't be able to buy the package. This is why I am leaving," a disgruntled Farida said.