Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting attended by its members, mostly senior cabinet ministers.

As per the approved proposals, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the industries ministry, will procure 80,000 metric tonnes urea fertiliser from local Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Ltd (Kafco) and abroad under three separate proposals.

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Of these, some 30,000MT of bagged granular urea will be procured from Kafco at a cost of Tk 66.86 crore. Per metric ton of fertiliser will cost $262.375.   

The BCIC will import 25,000MT bulk prilled urea from Muntajat of Qatar under a state-level agreement at a cost of Tk 55.8 crore while per metric ton of fertiliser will cost $262.375. 

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In another proposal, some 25,000MT bulk prilled urea will be imported from Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) under a state-level agreement at a cost of Tk 56.7 crore while per metric ton will cost $267.

The Cabinet body approved a proposal of Northern Electricity Supply Company Ltd (NESCO) under the Power Division to appoint NRECA International, USA as consultant for implementation of its GIS (Geographic Information System) project at contract value of Tk 42.56 crore. 

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A proposal of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) received the nod of the committee to award a contract to local firm BRB Cable Industries Ltd, to supply 2,900km 11kV insulated overhead conductor for rural electrification.   

Additional Secretary of the Cabinet Division Dr Saleh Ahmed said that there was another proposal placed by the Power Division to approve the extension of power purchase agreement of 50MW Kumargaon gas-based rental power plant of Energy Prime Ltd for the next five years. 

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But the Power Division withdrew the proposal while the committee did not agree to approve one proposal of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority for providing additional cost to service providing company Computer Network System Ltd for online banking service for collection of fitness fees and taxes.

Another proposal of the Chattogram Hill Tract Ministry to install 40,000 solar home systems and 2,500 community solar home systems at Tk 204.37 crore failed to get the approval of the Cabinet committee. 

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