Most of the TCB-appointed sugar traders of Khulna, allegedly selected on political considerations, could not be traced despite frantic searches at the addresses they provided in their applications.
As consumers complained of not getting Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) allocated sugar at Tk 42, it was found that many of the 105 dealers appointed for Khulna Metropolitan City did not sell the allotted sugar to general consumers. There are widespread allegations that they sold the sugar to the wholesales and retail markets at premium rate.
Each of the dealers of Khulna metropolitan city had been allotted one metric tonne of sugar from September 7 for sale at Tk 42 a kg on condition that they must sell it in the shops they mentioned as their addresses.
The dealers were supposed to hang a red banner inscribing the announcement "Sale of TCB sugar in open market" in front of their designated selling points. But during spot visits it was found that the dealers used fictitious addresses to get TCB allotments and consumers complained of not getting sugar at fair price from them.
Messrs Nayan Traders, an assigned shop, could not be traced on the city's Ahsan Ahmed Road though its proprietor Shamsuddin Ahmed Shyam obtained TCB dealership furnishing that address. Asked whether he had sold the allotted sugar to the consumers, Shyam told The Daily Star on Tuesday that he would start selling sugar from another shop adjacent to his residence at East Bania Khamar from Wednesday.
But locals said the TCB dealer put no sugar on sale till yesterday.
Asked TCB's Khulna Region Chief Rabiul Morshed said, dealer Shamsuddin Ahmed Shyam would lose his dealership if he sold sugar elsewhere instead of the designated selling point.
Two other appointed shops --Shaikat Enterprise and Shanta Store--could not be found on TB Cross Road in Khulna City. Local people alleged that they are not yet sure who their dealer is for selling sugar at fair price.
Rabiul Morshed acknowledged that both Shaikat Enterprise and Shanta Store used the TB Cross Road addresses for obtaining dealership and took delivery of their allotted sugar on September 9. However, Rabiul Morshed could not say for sure whether those addresses were genuine or false.
Md Didar Hossain, owner of Jainal Store at Skid Ghat area claimed of exhausting his allotted quota of sugar by selling that at fair price but locals alleged that they didn't even know the dealer and did not see sugar selling at fair price in their neighbourhood.
Yad Fuad Enterprise of Sher-e-Bangla road is listed with TCB but people of the area said they had never seen any such shop at Sher-e-Bangla road selling sugar at fair price.
Although Messrs Kohinoor Store, another dealer's shop, was found on Cemetery Road, people living in the area said they did not see the shop selling sugar at all. No banner was found hanging there.
On such gross irregularities, Rabiul Morshed said he would initiate investigation if anyone made written complaint against the malpractice by any of the TCB listed dealers. Both their dealership and security deposit would be forfeited if such allegations were proven true, he added.
He, however, refused to comment on the number of dealers appointed on political considerations.
Against this backdrop, the consumers in Khulna are now compelled to buy sugar at Tk 62 per kg from the retailers.
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