Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, in principle, decided to amend relevant rules in this connection, said Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Wednesday.

Also read: Cabinet body OKs import of 250,000MT rice

"We had to take the decision considering the current volatility in the international foodgrain market. Also, we will have to make the quoted price of international bidders reasonable."

"Currently there is a provision in the country's public procurement rule (PPR) which allows 28-42 days for submitting tender proposals for procuring goods from the international market," an official who attended the cabinet committee meeting said.

"Now the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the planning ministry will set a new time for international bidding following the new decision."

Also read: Foodgrain procurement policy to be made time-befitting one: Minister

The committee also approved, in principle, a proposal to award a contract through direct procurement method (DMP) to a private firm to arrange the display of drone show, air show and fireworks on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the country's independence.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase approved a proposal of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education to appoint Bishwo Shahitto Kendro as a consultant for its "Developing Reading Habit Program Implementation Management Services" project at Tk82.70 crore for two years.

Also read:  Cabinet purchase body nods import of rice, fertiliser, petroleum

The committee also gave the go-ahead to the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) committee to buy 264 km 11kV and 33kV submarine cables from BRB Cable Industries at Tk107.94 crore.