Experts and businesses have called for structural reforms, greater operational efficiency and stronger private-sector partnerships at the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) to reduce its reliance on government subsidies while ensuring affordable essential goods for low-income households.
They made the recommendations at a business talk titled "Trade with TCB", organised by the state-run agency at the Army Golf Club auditorium in Kurmitola, Dhaka, today (15 October).
Presenting the keynote paper, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Senior Research Fellow Badrunnesa Ahmed said TCB operates through 7,300 dealers, 42 regional offices and 48 warehouses with a combined storage capacity of around 51,300 tonnes. The agency plans to supply 26,000 tonnes of five essential commodities to meet demand during the upcoming Ramadan.
TCB Chairman Brigadier General Mohammad Faisal Azad said the agency required around Tk2,500 crore in subsidies in the 2025-26 fiscal year, while its procurement budget for the current fiscal year stands at Tk8,500 crore.
TCB plans to reduce its dependence on government subsidies over the next four to five years through structural reforms and improved operational efficiency, alongside partnerships with domestic and international suppliers and investors, he said.
Mohammad Mostafa Haider, group director of TK Group of Industries, said TCB had improved its digital payment and billing systems, but awarding contracts could take up to four months after tenders were submitted. Faster decisions are needed because international commodity prices can change rapidly, he said.
Malik Mohammad Sayeed, chief executive officer of Square Toiletries Ltd, welcomed payments within three to seven days of tender submission and suggested considering subsidised sanitary napkins among TCB's products.
Mark Shane McGoldrick, managing director of Australia-based MCG International Pte Ltd, said faster tender decisions would reduce suppliers' exposure to international market volatility and help strengthen long-term food security.
Muhammad Hossain Bhuiyan, president of the China-Bangla Friendship Association, called for stronger private-sector partnerships to improve transparency and accountability through smart cards, digital technologies and artificial intelligence-based monitoring.
Nazneen Ahmed, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said TCB should expand its operations to address the needs of both poor households and economically vulnerable groups.
She also stressed incorporating consumer feedback, regular monitoring and coordination with other social welfare programmes to improve service delivery, ensure goods reach the right people at the right time and help households cope with prolonged inflationary pressure.