The government on Wednesday approved a number of proposals for importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fertiliser to meet local demands.
The Adviser's Council Committee on Government Purchase gave the approval at its meeting at the Cabinet Division conference room at Bangladesh Secretariat, with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the adviser said the import of fertiliser and LNG is to avoid shortage of the items in the country. He said there would be no fertiliser crisis in the country.
"The LNG import will facilitate industrial operations as well as trade and commerce," he added.
The adviser also asked the ministries concerned to ensure constant supply of essential items like onion, potatoes, lentil, sugar, and soybean oil in the market.
The meeting, according to officials concerned, approved proposals to import two cargoes of LNG to be delivered by M/S Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd, Singapore from the spot market.
One will cost Tk 6.40 billion while the other one Tk 6.49 billion with each MMBtu of LNG to cost $13.57 and $13.77 respectively.
The meeting also approved two proposals for import of fertiliser by the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC).
Under an approval, the BADC will buy 30,000 tonnes of TSP fertiliser from OCP, SA, Morocco at a cost of Tk 1.49 billion with each tonne of fertiliser costing $415.
The BADC, under another proposal, will buy 40,000 tonnes of DAP fertiliser from MA'ADEN, Saudi Arabia by spending Tk 2.78 billion where per tonne fertiliser will cost $581.
The committee also approved fertiliser import by the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under two separate proposals.
Under an approval, the BCIC will import 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea fertiliser from SABIC Agri Nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia with a total cost of Tk 1.24 billion where each tonne will cost $346.33.
The corporation will also buy 30,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea fertiliser from KAFCO, Bangladesh at a cost of Tk 1.20 billion with each tonne costing $335.50.
syful-islam@outlook.com
