The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has announced an increase in the price of sugar by Tk30 per kg, bringing the new rate to Tk100. This adjustment, revealed in a press release on Wednesday, affects the 10 million TCB-card holder families who will now purchase sugar at the revised price, up from Tk70 per kg previously. The surge in sugar prices, attributed to factors like the strengthening dollar, global market fluctuations, and decreased supply, has prompted TCB to revise its pricing strategy ahead of Ramadan.

In anticipation of the holy month, TCB will commence the subsidized sale of five essential goods among cardholder families nationwide from Thursday. Despite prevailing high market rates, TCB's intervention aims to alleviate the financial burden on households. Each cardholding family will have access to two liters of soybean oil, two kg of lentils, one kg of sugar, one kg of dates, and five kg of rice at subsidized prices. The second phase of sales, timed with Ramadan, underscores TCB's commitment to supporting families during this period of heightened demand.

Humayun Kabir, spokesperson for TCB, cited the current high market prices of sugar as the rationale behind the adjustment, emphasizing the need to align TCB rates with prevailing market conditions. Despite challenges such as supply shortages leading to suspended sales in previous months, TCB remains dedicated to providing essential commodities to cardholding families across the country. With measures in place to facilitate purchases through authorized establishments and dealers, TCB aims to ensure equitable access to subsidized goods during these challenging times.