The government on Wednesday approved procurement proposals for importing one cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG), 70,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser, and 25,000 metric tonnes of refined sugar to meet the growing domestic demand, reports UNB.
The approval came at the 30th meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase held at the Cabinet Division Conference Room of the Secretariat.
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presided over the meeting.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, the finance adviser said the Energy and Mineral Resources Division would procure one cargo of LNG from the spot market through international quotation method from M/S Aramco Trading Singapore Pte Ltd, Singapore.
The estimated cost is around Tk 517.19 crore, with the price per MMBtu set at $12.289.
Under two separate proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industries, the committee approved the procurement of 40,000 metric tonnes of DAP fertiliser by the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the eighth lot from MA'ADEN, Saudi Arabia, at a cost of Tk 383.62 crore ($781 per tonne).
The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will also procure 30,000 metric tonnes of bagged granular urea fertiliser under the first lot from KAFCO, Bangladesh, for approximately Tk 164.91 crore ($448.37 per tonne).
Besides, the committee approved a proposal from the Ministry of Commerce for the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) to import 25,000 metric tonnes of refined sugar through international open tender.
The procurement will cost around Tk 175.98 crore, with the price per kilogram set at Tk 106.66.
Meanwhile, the government on the same day approved proposals to import 50,000 metric tonnes of gasoline and procure vessels and infrastructure to strengthen oceanographic research capabilities.
The approvals came at the 24th meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs held at the Cabinet Division Conference Room of the Secretariat, with the finance adviser in the chair.
To meet the rising domestic energy demand, the meeting approved a proposal from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division for the import of 50,000 MT (±10%) of Gasoline 95 Unleaded (Octane) during the 2025 calendar year.
The committee also gave nod in principle to a proposal from the Ministry of Industries to procure construction services under the Direct Procurement Method (DPM) for building a ropeway on the Indian side under the "Conversion of Wet Process to Dry Process of CCCL" project.
Two proposals from the Ministry of Science and Technology were approved to enhance oceanographic research capabilities.
These include the procurement of one small research vessel equipped for sample collection and two speedboats under the GD-1 package of the "Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute (Phase 2) (1st Revised)" project. All will be procured from Khulna Shipyard Ltd through the direct procurement method (DPM).
Additionally, under the GD-5 package of the same project, the government will procure one pontoon, jetty, and gangway from Khulna Shipyard Ltd for the safe berthing of the research vessel.
Besides, the Ministry of Food received approval in principle to shorten the procurement timeframe under Section 83(1)(Ka) of the Public Procurement Rules, 2008 for the urgent international purchase of 4.00 lakh metric tonnes of rice.
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