Legend says during the reign of Mughal Subahdar Shaista Khan, a singla taka would buy you eight maunds of rice.

Something of a throwback is occurring at Savar right now. "Chobighor", a Savar based youth organisation, have been selling essential food items such as rice, pulses, flour, sugar, baby foods and other items since first Ramadan -- all for Tk 1!

The initiative comes as many people in the area have become unemployed due to the Covid-19 shutdown. In light of this, twenty active members of "Chobighar" -- all university students -- decided to start running an aid programme for the unemployed people in dire need.

Every day from 10am to 12 noon, Chobighar's mobile shop, named "Ek Takar Dokan" moves around the streets of Savar on a van.

Additionally, the organisation also home delivers seven to fifteen days' worth of essential food items to poor families for just one taka.

Members of the organisation say rather than making it free, they are running the shop for an exchange value of minimum one taka so that the poor and needy don't see the aid as handouts.

 So far, around 400 people have bought items from the mobile shop, said Prince Ghosh, president of the organisation. In addition, another 100 families have been sold food items through home delivery.

On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, the organisation will start selling new clothes from May 10, Prince told this correspondent.

 Roksana Begum, a resident of Arapara, said she buys from "Ek Takar Dokan" as rickshaw-puller husband's income has faced devastation due to the shutdown. "This initiative has been the biggest help for us," Roksana said.

Prince said they have bigger plans. "We have started the mobile shop on a limited scale, but we plan to expand by collecting more funds."