The Ministry of Industries has come under fire for what critics describe as extreme irresponsibility and incompetence in determining the price of government-produced sugar. As per the news report of The Financial Express, sources stated that an unrealistic and “ghostly” pricing proposal was sent to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), fixing the price of sugar from state-owned mills at Tk 2,512.563 per kilogram.
Rather than helping keep essential commodities affordable, the proposal sparked ridicule and surprise, even within government circles.
In a letter dated January 19 to the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industries expressed its intention to sell 10,000 tonnes of sugar to TCB. The letter set the mill-gate price of a 50-kg sack at Tk 125,628.15, translating to a per-kg price exceeding Tk 2,500 — nearly 20 times higher than prevailing market rates of Tk 130–150 per kg.
As per the news report, analysts said that at a time when consumers are struggling with rising prices, such an illogical proposal moving from one ministry to another is both laughable and a clear reflection of administrative inefficiency.
Market insiders noted that the error has raised serious concerns about coordination and professionalism within the ministry, particularly ahead of sensitive periods such as Ramadan.
Senior officials later acknowledged that the intended price was Tk 125,628 per tonne, not per 50-kg sack.
According to the media report, the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) had planned to supply the surplus 10,000 tonnes of sugar through TCB to help stabilise the market ahead of Shab-e-Barat, Ramadan, and Eid-ul-Fitr. However, the erroneous pricing proposal would instead have created confusion and market uncertainty.
When contacted by The Financial Express, two senior officials from the Ministry of Industries said the proposal had been sent due to an “unintentional error.” One official said, “The price of one tonne of sugar should have been Tk 125,628. We will promptly correct the mistake and resend the proposal to the Ministry of Commerce.”
