Arrange TCB sales at upazila level: High Court

The High Court has directed the authorities to take necessary measures to sell daily essentials – such as rice, pulses and edible oil – at a subsidised price through the state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) at the upazila level.  

A single-member virtual bench of Justice JBM Hassan passed the order upon a writ petition on Wednesday. 

The court asked the secretary to the commerce ministry and the chairman of TCB to make arrangements for the sale of the commodities at an affordable rate within the next seven days.

The authorities have also been asked to inform the court in writing, by June 11, of what steps were taken after the order.

Lawyer Humayun Kabir Pallab filed the writ petition on behalf of the Law and Life Foundation on May 16, seeking directions to sell TCB's products to the general public at every upazila level across the country.

Pallab later said the sale of TCB products was limited to city corporations and some municipal areas. That is why the lower and lower-middle class people across the country are not able to enjoy its benefits. Moreover, marginalised people are being deprived of this facility.

A legal notice was served on the authorities earlier on April 30. A writ petition was filed in the High Court as no reply was received.