Photo: Collected
People can now apply to become a TCB dealer from home. The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has introduced a digital system for appointing dealers to reduce applicants’ hassle. The organisation has set a target of completing the entire process of appointing new dealers before the start of the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.
TCB chairman Brigadier General Mohammad Faisal Azad said applications for dealer appointments used to be collected manually. Now those interested can apply online, and updates on the progress of their applications will also be available online. He said work on appointing new dealers is under way in various areas, and applicants’ information is being verified at the field level.
Under the new system, applications submitted online are being sent to the deputy commissioner concerned. The district administration is verifying the information provided by applicants and also conducting field investigations. That investigation report then goes to the relevant authority for the next stage of evaluation.
A three-member evaluation committee is working to take the final decision on appointments. It includes a representative of the commerce ministry. The committee is deciding on dealer appointments only after reviewing the district administration’s investigation reports.
According to the chairman, how quickly the appointments progress depends largely on the investigation reports coming in from the district administrations. Reports from all districts have not yet been received. So it is taking some time to complete the work.
He said TCB wants to complete at least 50 percent of the new dealer appointments by December this year. The organisation also wants to complete the remaining appointments before the upcoming Ramadan.
The renewal deadline for dealers whose licences were due for renewal in 2026 was extended by three months. TCB then took the initiative to appoint new dealers. The aim of the initiative is to maintain the continuity of distribution activities and strengthen oversight in the selection of dealers.
Under the previous method, everything from the application onwards was done manually. Under the new digital system, after applications are taken online, the district administration goes into the field to check the information. The evaluation committee then decides on the appointment after reviewing the investigation report.
TCB expects that the combination of online applications, district-level verification of information and committee evaluation will make dealer appointments more transparent and accountable. The organisation believes this will also make it possible to strengthen preparations for distributing goods before Ramadan.
Background
TCB has also previously taken applications for vacant dealer posts online only. According to a TCB notice, those applications were taken from 10 to 25 May 2026, and the non-refundable application fee was Tk 5,000, to be paid through ekpay — Desh Rupantor reported on 12 May 2026.
Before that, the organisation took online applications from 16 to 22 December 2025 to appoint distributors in various upazilas of 36 districts of the country — Ittefaq reported on 17 December 2025. The original report’s statement that applications were previously taken manually differs from the information here, depending on the source.
Sources
Original report: Bangladesh Pratidin
Background sources: Desh Rupantor, 12 May 2026; Ittefaq, 17 December 2025
