People throng OMS trucks ahead of Ramadan

Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer and reflection observed by Muslims worldwide, is expected to begin on April 14.

Meanwhile, the government enforced a nation-wide lockdown from Monday (April 05). A day earlier on Sunday (April 04), many people were seen standing in queues in front of the Trading Corporation Bangladesh (TCB)-run OMS (Open Market Sales) trucks at different areas in the capital including Elephant Road, Jhigatola, Matijheel, Agargaon, Mohammadpur, Mirpur-1, Shyamoli for long hours to buy products.

TCB official Farid Uddin Ahmed said that TCB is selling daily essential commodities in about 100 open trucks at different areas of the capital. They will make arrangements to sell products in more areas next week.

The official said, “A truck of goods is being sold from morning to noon. The number of buyers is much higher than the stock of TCB daily products.”

As the number of consumers is increasing day by day and TCB will try to increase the supply of products accordingly, he added.

Farid Uddin said that at present the price of the products selling from TCB’s OMS trucks is less than the market products. Sugar is being sold Tk 55 per kg while lentils at Tk 55 per kg, Soybean oil at Tk 100 per liter, Onion at Tk 20 per kg, Gram at Tk 55 per kg and Dates at Tk 80 per kg.

There is no possibility of increasing the prices of these products, the official said.