Cabinet body's nod to import 2 LNG cargoes

The cabinet committee on government procurement on Wednesday approved the import of two cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet growing gas demands in industrial units in particular.
The LNG will be procured from the United States of America (USA) and Singapore.
The committee also endorsed proposals to import 1.6 million tonnes of fuel oil and buy four ships for the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC).
Proposals for importing fertiliser, rice and wheat, among other, also got the green light.
Finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting held virtually.
Sayed Mahbub Khan additional secretary at cabinet division, briefed the media after the meeting. As approved, the state-backed Petrobangla will import 3.36 MMBtu LNG from M/S Excelerate Energy LP, United States, at Tk 5.724 billion.
On the other hand, 3.36 MMBtu LNG will be bought from M/S Vitol Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore, at Tk 5.441 billion.
Also, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) got the go-ahead to purchase 1.58-million tonnes of fuel oil from Unipec Singapore Pte Ltd and Vitol Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore, during the July-December period.
The fuel will be procured under the international quotation method as the import will cost the exchequer Tk 120 billion.
The meeting permitted the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) to import 30,000 tonnes each bulk granular (optional) urea fertiliser and the same volume of bulk prilled (optional) urea fertiliser from Muntajat, Qatar.
The BCIC also got permission to buy 60,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea fertiliser from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Limited in two separate lots.
The committee approved proposals for the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) to buy fertiliser.
It will buy 100,000 tonnes of Muriate of Potash from Canadian Commercial Corporation under two separate proposals and another 30,000 tonnes from JSC Foreign Economic Corporation "Prodintorg", Russia.
The BADC was given the go-ahead to buy 40,000 tonnes of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser from MA'ADEN, Saudi Arabia.
The committee allowed the BSC to buy two mother tankers and two bulk carriers from China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation at Tk 24.86 billion.
Mr Kamal also chaired a meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs the same day, approving a Petrobangla proposal to import LNG from Malaysia under a long-term agreement.
The state entity will buy LNG from Malaysian company Perintis Akal Sdn Bhd under the Speedy Supply of Power and Energy (Special) Act 2010.
Moreover, the committee approved food department's proposal to import 0.3-million tonnes of rice from abroad under government-to-government arrangement and 0.2-million tonnes through an international tender. In this case, bid documents have to be submitted within 15 days of publication of advertisements in newspapers instead of usual 42 days.
In another proposal, the meeting approved in principle the submission of bid documents within 15 days of publication of advertisements in newspapers, instead of usual 42 days, for buying 0.6-million tonnes of wheat.

syful-islam@outlook.com