Road sector contractors have come down heavily on the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) for discriminatory evaluation method in tenders of small budgeted work claiming that it has created syndication in the process to get the work of below Tk 30 million.
In a public hearing on RHD integrity at its conference room in the capital on Sunday, they alleged that in the name of fair completion and scope for new local and small contractors, limited tender method (LTM) has created the syndication as RHD zonal and divisional offices are involved in the selection process.
The RHD organised the public hearing to bring integrity in its work at various stage where at least 20 representatives of various RHD's unions, including contractors, drivers and workers were present.
Leaders of road transport owners and workers association also attended.
RHD Chief Engineer Syed Mainul Hasan chaired the session where engineers of different divisional and zonal offices joined virtually.
The RHD introduced the LTM to facilitate new contractors to participate in the tender for working experience allowing all to be enlisted through electronically filling up forms.
After selection, these contractors have got the licence from 64 divisional offices to participate in the tender process.
But leaders of the RHD Contractors Association said these groups sell the work to five to six contractors in specific areas on a regular basis after getting the tender award as divisional offices have been engaged in the process.
Morshed Alam Pantu, former secretary of the RHD Contractor Association, among others, raised the allegation demanding withdrawn of the alleged LTM and stop of listing contractors as small or big contractors.
They also claimed that many locally-capable contractors cannot participate in foreign aided big project due to setting to many criteria for big and foreign contractors and said proper evaluation process can remove the discrimination.
Abdul Maleque Razu, executive director of Root Foundation, has also demanded withdrawal of 0.30 per cent insurance provision introduced by the past government.
He said a significant amount of the contract value was forced to spend by them without getting any claims from the insurance companies.
RHD driver representatives also demanded resting place in all RHD offices, including headquarters, alleging that the new building has no place for them to take rest though several hundred people drive small, medium and heavy RHD vehicles.
Meanwhile, under a banner of the Deprive Contractor Forum has also placed a six-point demand to the Chief Advisor Office after the interim government was formed on August 8.
Some eight firms alleged that RHD's work has been captive in the hand of eight to 10 contractors due to opening tender on the metric process.
The ceiling of tenders for the general contractors should be increased to Tk 80 million to Tk 100 million.
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