Cabinet nods import of LNG, fertiliser, oil, lentil, sugar

The cabinet committee on government purchase on Thursday approved procurement of liquefied natural gas (LNG), fertiliser, edible oils, lentils and sugar.
It also gave the green light to the setting up of three solar power plants totalling 300 megawatts (MW).
Finance minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali chaired the meeting in the conference room of the cabinet division.
In a post-meeting briefing, cabinet division's additional secretary Md Mahmudul Hossain Khan said the meeting approved the procurement of four LNG cargoes to meet the local demand for gas.
As approved, M/S Excelerate Energy LP, USA, M/S Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd and M/S Vitol Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore, will supply the LNG to the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla).
Excelerate Energy will charge $9.7858 for each unit of LNG totalling Tk 4.231 billion for a cargo or 3.36-million MMBTU, while Gunvor Singapore will charge $9.3690 for each unit totalling Tk 4.051 billion for each cargo.
On the other hand, Vitol Asia will charge $9.47 and $9.23 for each unit of LNG respectively as it will supply two cargoes of LNG.
The total cost for one cargo of LNG in case of this supplier stands at Tk 4.095 billion, while another cargo costs $3.995 billion.
The committee also allowed the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) to import 40,000 tonnes of DAP fertiliser from MA'ADEN, Saudi Arabia, at $23.24 million, with each tonne costing $581.
It also approved the import of 30,000 tonnes of muriate of potash (MoP) fertiliser from JSC Foreign Economic Corporation 'Prodintorg', Russia.
The BADC will import the fertiliser at $8.692 million, with each unit costing $289.75.
Food directorate has got the go-ahead to import 50,000 tonnes of wheat from M/S Grainflower DMCC, UAE, at Tk 1.539 billion under an international open tender method.
Each kilogram of wheat will cost Tk 30.79.
The cabinet committee also approved procurement of 6,000 tonnes of lentil from Roy Agro Food Products Ltd, Bogura, at Tk 629 million under a local open tender method.
The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will buy each kilogram of lentil at Tk 104.90.
The TCB got the nod to buy 10,000 tonnes of lentil from Ease General Trading and Nabil Naba Foods Ltd at Tk 1.04 billion.
Each kilo of lentil will cost Tk 104.44.
The TCB has also been allowed to buy 8,000 tonnes of sugar from S Alam Refined Sugar Industries Ltd at Tk 1.076 billion, with each kilo costing Tk 134.50.
The TCB will also buy 5.0 million litres of soybean oil from Sonargaon Seeds Crushing Mills Ltd at Tk 779.85 million. Each litre of oil will cost Tk 155.97.
Also, the committee approved setting up of three solar power plants in Khulna, Moulvibazar and Rajbari districts.
As approved, a joint-venture company of Energon Renewables (BD) Ltd and PWR will set up a 100 MW solar power plant in Rupsa upazila under Khulna district.
The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will buy electricity from the plant at Tk 10.91/kWh for a period of 20 years under the "no electricity no payment" method by spending Tk 35.376 billion.
The meeting also gave approval to a Consortium of Thien Phu Vietnam New Energy Joint Stock Co and Dream Finder Limited to set up a 100-MW solar power plant in Rajnagar upazila under Moulvibazar district.
The BPDB will buy each unit of power from the plant at Tk 10.92 for a period of 20 years under the "no electricity no payment" method at Tk 35.376 billion.
Also, the committee approved the setting up of another solar plant in Goalanda upazila under Rajbari by the Consortium of China Datang Overseas Investment Co Limited and Engreen Engineering Limited.
The BPDB will buy each unit of electricity from the plant at Tk 10.92 for a period of 20 years, also under the "no electricity no payment" method.
Procurement of electricity from the plant will cost a total of Tk 35.376 billion.

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