The government has approved the purchase of 20 million liters of refined palm olein and 10,000 metric tons of lentils for subsidized sale to 10 million low-income families holding Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) cards. The purchases will cost a total of 4,456,000,000 taka.
The Commerce Ministry’s purchase proposals were approved Wednesday at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase, held at the Secretariat and chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.
Under the committee’s decision, the 20 million liters of refined palm olein will be purchased through a local open tender.
At a price of 183.85 taka per liter, the oil purchase will cost 3,677,000,000 taka. The lowest bidder, Shabnam Vegetable Oil Industries Ltd of Dhaka, will supply the oil to TCB’s warehouse, including transport costs.
TCB has set a target of purchasing 220 million liters of edible oil in the 2026-27 fiscal year. Of that, 8,401,802 liters have already been purchased.
The same meeting also approved a proposal to purchase 10,000 metric tons of lentils through a local open tender. At a price of 77.90 taka per kilogram, the lentil purchase will cost 779,000,000 taka.
TCB has set a target of purchasing 220,000 metric tons of lentils in the current fiscal year. Of that, 8,250 metric tons have already been purchased.
The government’s decision will further boost the stock needed to distribute subsidized edible oil and lentils to 10 million low-income families through TCB.