DHAKA, March 14, (V7N) – Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin has pledged to complete the scrutiny and distribution of one crore smart cards under the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) within the next four to six months to ensure social justice for marginalized families.

In an interview, Bashir Uddin emphasized that his priority before leaving office is to ensure that deserving families receive the benefits of TCB, eliminating fake beneficiaries. While the government aims to increase the number of smart card holders from 57 lakh to one crore, he expressed dissatisfaction with the flaws in the previous selection process, citing cases where wealthy individuals, including jute mill owners and mansion owners, were wrongly included as beneficiaries.

He accused the previous Awami League (AL) regime of widespread irregularities in the TCB program, claiming that many TCB family card holders were found to be fake. To rectify this, the government has already temporarily canceled 37 lakh cards after NID-based verification and is gradually replacing the rest with smart cards. So far, 36 lakh smart cards have been fully prepared.

The final scrutiny deadline has been set for March 17, 2025. Any cards not verified by then will be canceled initially, after which the TCB will conduct fresh recruitment of beneficiaries. Local representatives, student bodies, and district administrations will be involved in a purification drive over the next two months to finalize the list.

Bashir Uddin reaffirmed his personal commitment to raising the number of verified smart card holders to one crore while ensuring transparency in the distribution process.