Starting in November, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will expand its list of subsidized products to include five new essential items: tea, salt, detergent, and two types of soap.
The move is part of the government’s ongoing effort to provide greater relief to low-income families and strengthen its support through the TCB Smart Family Card programme.
The announcement was made on Monday during a meeting on the selection and activation of TCB beneficiaries, held at the Ministry of Commerce in Dhaka.
The meeting brought together administrators from Dhaka North and South City Corporations, Narayanganj and Gazipur City Corporations, as well as additional deputy commissioners and upazila executive officers from districts surrounding the capital.
Speaking at the event, Commerce Advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin emphasized that the government provides nearly Tk 5,000 crore annually in subsidies to operate TCB’s nationwide sales operations. He said the addition of these five essential products would help further ease the burden on the poor and play a meaningful role in controlling inflation by improving the balance between market demand and supply.
He further noted that the government remains committed to enhancing the effectiveness of TCB’s services and called upon local officials to take proactive steps in ensuring that one crore (10 million) genuine beneficiaries are properly identified and enrolled in the program. According to him, ensuring that no impoverished citizen is left outside the country’s social safety net is vital to building a truly welfare-oriented state.
“My expectation is that TCB’s Smart Family Cards will reach those who need them most—the poor, the vulnerable, and those who rightfully deserve government support,” he said. He urged authorities to demonstrate visible progress in beneficiary selection and card activation across the country, including city corporations, within the next month.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman acknowledged that identifying the right beneficiaries remains the main challenge in the implementation process. He also pointed out that progress has been somewhat slower in certain city corporations but expressed optimism that now that the key issues have been identified, the process would accelerate in the coming weeks.
Also addressing the meeting were Mohammad Ejaz, Administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation; Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, Additional Secretary (Export) of the Ministry of Commerce; and Brigadier General Mohammad Faysal Azad, Chairman of TCB.
During the meeting, updated information on the TCB Smart Family Card program was shared. According to the latest figures, a total of 6,434,316 cards have been activated, while 339,454 cards are still awaiting activation.
The inclusion of new products and the push for faster beneficiary identification and card activation are seen as key steps in making TCB’s operations more effective and impactful, particularly for families struggling with rising living costs.