A total of 1030 metric tonnes of rice were imported from India through Benapole port in one week till Wednesday. According to the Benapole land port and customs house, 33 rice-laden trucks entered the land port from November 18 to 27. Deputy assistant officer of Benapole check-post Plant Quarantine Center, Shyamal Kumar Nath, said some 1030 metric tonnes of rice have been imported till November 27. Three rice-laden trucks entered No 31 transshipment yard around 9:30 pm on Wednesday which is supposed to be the last shipment. Already the port authorities unloaded the imported rice after completing the due process on Thursday morning, said deputy director Sajib Najib of the port. Mafizur Rahman, owner of Arka Trading said the government approved import of 2000 metric tonnes of Atap and 3000 metric tonnes of boiled rice and of these, 105 metric tonnes of boiled rice (swarna variety) were imported from India. 100 tonnes of Atap rice imported from India via Banglabandha land port Rashed Chowdhury, owner of Chowdhury auto Rice Mill, said the price of coarse hybrid variety rice is being sold at Tk 46 while Swarna variety Tk 48 at the wholesale market. He also expected that the price of rice may decrease following the availability of the Aman rice in the local market. In an effort to stabilise the rice market amid soaring prices, the government decided to import rice from India. The rice will be imported within December 10.    

Bangladesh imported 6,520.21 metric tonnes (MT) of rice from India through Bhomra Land Port in Satkhira over the past 8 days that authorities hope would help stabilise the country’s rice market. The import began on November 13 after the withdrawal of customs duties on rice imports by the National Board of Revenue (NBR). According to sources at the port authority, after the duty withdrawal, 12 companies approved by the Ministry of Food started importing through Bhomra. Read: 131MT rice imported from India through Hili Land Port Among the imports, Dhaka-based Old Paltan Majumdar Agrotech International imported around 1,861.47 MT of rice in four shipments. These included 770 MT on November 13, 368.5 MT on November 16, 380.97 MT on November 17, and 342 MT on November 18. Mukul Enterprise from Kalai of Satkhira, imported 300 MT in three shipments: 100 MT each on November 13, 14, and 17. Ismail Hossain Milon from Jhikargacha of Jashore, imported 100 MT on November 13, while Abul Monsur Khan from Bogura brought in a total of 500 MT across three dates: 150 MT on November 14 and 16, and 200 MT on November 18. Abu Musa, general secretary of Bhomra Customs C&F Agents Association, said the Indian government had imposed a ban on rice exports to Bangladesh on July 20, 2023. Read: Rice import from India through Benapole port resumes after 2 years Recently the country lifted the ban allowing export to Bangladesh, he said. Abul Kalam Azad, deputy commissioner of Bhomra Land Customs Station, 6,520.21 MT of rice was imported from India through the port in eight days from November 13. If this trend continues, rice imports through this port will increase in the future, he said.

The government will import 100,000 metric tons (MT) of rice from the international market. The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase, in a meeting with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair, approved two separate proposals in this regard. Read more: Rice, wheat import: Bangladesh Bank asks banks to keep minimum LC margin According to one proposal, placed by the Food Ministry, the Directorate General of Food will import 50,000 MT of non-Basmati boiled rice from M/S Bagadiya Brothers Pvt. Ltd., India at a cost of Tk 210.35 crore. The supplier was selected through open international tender and each metric ton of rice will cost $393.19 while previous price of similar rice was $443.05. Under another proposal of the same ministry, the Directorate General of Food will import the remaining 50,000 MT of non-Basmati boiled rice from M/S Agrocorp International Pte. Ltd, Singapore at a cost of Tk 213.40 crore. Read more: Cabinet purchase body approves import of 50,000MT rice The supplier was selected through open international tender and each metric ton of rice will cost $397. 03 while the previous price of similar rice was $393.19.

Some 11 proposals including extension of four rental power plants and import of 200,000 metric tons of rice from Myanmar received the nod of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday. Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque presided over the meeting due to non-availability of Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal. According official sources, rental plants are 100 MW Julda, Chattagram, plant of Acorn Infrastructure Services Ltd, 50 MW Katakhali, Rajshahi power plant of Northern Power Solutions Ltd, 100 MW Keraniganj plant of PowerPac Mutiara Keraniganj Power Plant Ltd and 50 MW Amnura, Chapainababganj plant of Sinha Power Generation Company Ltd.      Read: Nasrul to businesses: Stop talking about rental power plants They said the four HFO-based power plants received the approval for two year extension of their contracts under which the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will purchase electricity for next two years. “But contracts will be extended under a new term and condition—No Power, No Payment—basis. The operators will not get any capacity payment as per new condition”, said a senior official at the Power Division. He also informed that as a result of the new condition, the new tariff will be applicable in purchasing electricity. “The sponsors of the rental plants will get only fuel cost plus a minimum operation and maintenance expense”, he added. The CCGP approved a Food Ministry’s approval to import 200,000 MT of while rice (Atop) from Myanmar under a G-to-G contract. The entire consignment will cost a total of $90.1 million while each ton will cost $465.50, said a top official of the Food Ministry. The Cabinet committee also approved proposals on import of a total of 115,000 metric tons of fertilisers. Read: Despite 40 pc surplus capacity, BPDB buys 6 pc of electricity from pricier rental power plants Of these, 50,000 MT of MOP fertiliser from Canadian Commercial Corporation, 40,000 MT of DAP fertiliser from Maadeen of Saudi Arabia and 25,000 MT of TSP fertiliser from GCT of Tunisia will be imported by the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) of the Agriculture Ministry.       However, the price of the fertiliser was not learnt as there was no briefing from the Cabinet Division about the outcomes of the CCGP meeting.

Rice import through Benapole land port has resumed after 10 months. A consignment of 512 tons of rice entered the port Sunday afternoon, which was released from the port Monday morning. M/S Belal Hossain and M/S Lipu Enterprise are importing rice at the rate of USD 340 per ton. Benapole customs authority has fixed import duty on fine rice at USD 450 per ton and on coarse rice at USD 380 per ton. Importers are paying Tk9.90 as import duty for every kilogram of rice. Md Motiar Rahman, Director of India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce (IBCC), said that the government stopped importing rice from India on August 31, 2021 to ensure proper market prices of rice produced in the country. Read: Onion imports through Benapole resume after 2 months “Prices of rice shot up after recent floods in the country. The government allowed 95 importers to import 4.09 lakh mts of rice from India on June 30 to keep the rice market stable. Import of rice through the Benapole port began following  the decision,” said Motiar. Shamsur Rahman, President of Benapole C&F Agents Association, said that of the total amount of imported rice, boiled rice is 3,79,000 metric tonnes  and non-boiled rice is 30,000 metric tonnes. The food ministry has ordered to complete the LC-opening process within July 21 and marketing of the imported rice within August 11, said Shamsur. Azim Uddin, a C&F trader, said that the rice consignment had to wait 17 days in Indian part before getting access to Benapole land port. “Rice can be imported quickly if the consignments can get access to the port directly, which will in turn reduce the prices of rice in the local market,” said Azim.

The government has permitted 428 businesspeople and firms to import 17.2 lakh metric tonnes of rice at a lower duty rate, aiming to keep the rice market stable in Bangladesh. The Food Ministry gave the permission from August 17 to 30 and informed the Commerce Ministry about it, said an official. On Monday, another 79 business firms got permission to import 1.01 lakh metric tonnes of boiled and atap (non-boiled) rice.  With that, the Food Ministry permitted a total of 428 firms to import some 17.2 lakh metric tonnes of rice. Also read: Import duty on rice reduced to 25% However, the importers will have to market the imported rice by September 25 next. The other conditions imposed by the ministry include ensuring maximum 5 percent broken grains among the imported rice, opening LC (Letter of Credit) within 15 days and informing the Food Ministry about the LC-related information through emails instantly. Besides, the imported rice cannot be repackaged using the name of importers and the rice will have to be sold in plastic sacks.   If anyone fails to open LC in the stipulated time, the permission will be cancelled, the ministry says. Earlier, 41 firms got permission on August 17 last to import 4.10 lakh tonnes of rice, 69 firms on August 18 to import 4.18 lakh tonnes of rice, 91 firms on August 21 to import 3.91 lakh tonnes of rice, 73 firms on August 22 to import 2.22 lakh tonnes of rice (boiled and unboiled ones), 41 firms on August 23 to import 94,000 tonnes of rice (boiled and unboiled ones) and 34 firms on August 24 to import 57,000 tonnes of rice (boiled and unboiled ones). Also read: Govt to buy 11.50 lakh mts Boro rice On August 12, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued a gazette notification slashing the import tariff on rice to 25 percent from 62.5 percent in order to keep the rice prices stable in the local market. The facility of lower import duty will remain effective till October 30 next. The imported rice has already started entering Bangladesh through land ports, the official added.

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase approved seven proposals including the import of liquified natural gas (LNG) from a Swiss company and rice from an Indian company. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting. State-owned Petrobangla, under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, will import the 3.360 million MMBtus of LNG from AOT Trading AG, Switzerland at a cost of Tk 243.3 crore with per MMBtu price at $7.2855. Also read: Purchase body okays 6 proposals including import of LNG, rice The Directorate General of Food under the Food Ministry will import 50,000 metric tonnes of non-bashmoti parboiled rice from PK Agri Link Private Ltd, India, at cost of Tk 174.65 crore, with per MT price at $411.93. Meanwhile, the Cabinet committee approved a proposal of the Roads and Highways Department to award Tk 103.37 crore contract to the Joint Venture of Reliable Builders Ltd, Md Moyenuddin (Bashi) Limited and Orient Trading & Builders Ltd, for implementing package No-WP-02 of the project on Improvement of Shariatpur (Monohar Bazar)-Ibrahimpur Road upto Ferry Ghat. The committee approved awarding Tk 106.84 crore contract to the Joint Venture of Md Badrul Iqbal Ltd, Hassan Techno Builders Ltd, and Oyster Construction and Shipping Company Ltd, for implementing the works of the package WP-03 of the same project.  Also read: Govt to import 3.5 lakh MT more rice Another project of the Roads and Highways Department received approval of the committee to award a contract of Tk 788.38 crore to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, India, for implementing the package No-WP-03 for upgrading Ashuganj Riverport-Sarai’s-Dharkhar-Akhawra Highway into four lanes and its maintenance work.  The committee approved a proposal of Tk 243.18 crore of the Bridge Authority under the Bridges Division to award a contract for appointing consultant for conducting feasibility study about construction of bridges on Shariatpur-Chandpur Highway and Gazaria Munshiganj Road for crossing the Meghna River to connect Chandpur and Shariatpur districts. Also read: Cabinet purchase body nods import of rice, fertiliser, petroleum A Joint Venture of Tecnica Y Proyectos SA (TYPSA), Spain, Nippon Koei Co Ltd, Japan, DOHWA Engineering Co Ltd, South Korea, Development Design Consultants Ltd Bangladesh, BCL Associates Ltd, Bangladesh and Dev Consultants Ltd, Bangladesh, won the contract.  The committee approved a proposal of Public Works Department for re-evaluation of the tender proposal for the work package of WD-01 of the Khulna Development Authority’s Khulna Shipyard Road Widening and Development Works by cancelling the recommendation of Tender Evaluation Committee (TEC).  

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday approved six proposals, including import of 50,000 metric tonnes of rice.  Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting.   Rice import has been dominating as a regular agenda in the purchase body meeting since the beginning of 2021.  Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Sahida Akter, while briefing on the purchase committee meeting outcomes, said that the Directorate General of Food under the Food Ministry will import the 50,000MT non-bashmoti parboiled rice from Bagadiya Brothers Private Ltd of India at a cost of Tk 176.38 crore.  Also read: Purchase body okays 6 proposals including import of LNG, rice Each MT will cost $416, Akter added.  The committee approved a proposal of the state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to import 100,000MT crude oil from PT Bumi Siak Pusaku (BSP) Zapin of Indonesia under a government-to-government contract at a cost of Tk 431.14 crore for Bashundhara Bitumen/Asphalt production plant in Keraniganj. About the proposal, BPC Director (operation and planning) Syed Mehedi Hasan said the state-owned petroleum body will import the proposed crude oil for the private bitumen plant under a contract with the Bashundhara Oil and Gas Company Ltd.  Also read: Govt to import 3.5 lakh MT more rice A proposal of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Industries Ministry received the nod of the Cabinet committee to purchase 30,000MT bagged granular urea fertiliser from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company (Kafco) at a cost of Tk 90.59 crore.  The Cabinet body approved another proposal of the BCIC to import Reformed Gas Waste Heat Boiler and associated equipment from BORSIG Process Heat Exchange GmbH, Germany, at a cost of Tk 56.65 crore through direct procurement method.  The committee approved a proposal of the Roads and Highways Department under the Road Transport and Highways Division to extend the contract of the Computer Network System Limited as service provider for six months up to September 30, 2021 for collecting tolls from Meghna Bridge and Gomti Bridge on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway at cost of Tk 35.57 crore. Also read: Cabinet purchase body nods import of rice, fertiliser, petroleum A proposal of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) under the Ministry of Shipping was approved to purchase 10 bollard pull tugboats with spare parts, each having 12 tons capacity, from Dockyard and Engineering Works at Tk 166.97 crore through direct purchase method.

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday approved 6 procurement proposals including import of 3.36 million MMBtus (million British thermal units) of liquefied compressed gas (LNG) from US-based Excelarate Energy LP. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the Cabinet body meeting. As per the proposal placed by Energy and Mineral Resources Division, state-owned Petrobangla will import the bulk LNG from the US company at Tk 218.07 crore. Each MMBtu of LNG will cost $6.53 in the import. The committee approved a proposal of the Food Ministry to import 50,000 metric tons of non-Bashmoti parboiled rice from P.K Agri Link Private Limited, India, at a cost of about Tk 177.11 crore. A proposal of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) received the nod of the committee to award a Tk 777.40 crore contract to CAMC Engineering Co. Ltd., China for installation of 14 km transmission line for supply of refined water to Baridhara from Gandharbopur Water Treatment plant. Also read: Govt to import 3.5 lakh MT more rice The Dhaka WASA will award the contract to the Chinese firm under package-2 of its Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply (DESWS) project. Three proposals of the Roads Transport and High Division received nods of the committee. As per the proposals, a contract of Tk 112.67 crore will be awarded to  Joint Venture of (1) Md. Moyenuddin (Bashi) Limited (2) Nabarun Traders Limited for works of Package –PW-3 of improvement of Bhola(Parantalukderhat)-Charfasion (Charmanika) local roads to regional highway. The Roads and High Way Department will award Tk 118.64 crore contract to Joint Venture of 1. Md. Badrul Iqbal Ltd, 2. Hassan Techno Builders Ltd., and 3. Oyster Construction and Shipping Company Ltd., for the works under the package-PW-06 of the same project. Also read: Prices of daily essentials soar ahead of Ramadan The Joint Venture of International Consultant and Technocrats Pvt. Ltd. India, and M/s Sheladia Associates, Inc., United States, was appointed as consultant by the Roads and Highway Department for its “Support to Joydevpur-Devgram-Bhulta-Madonpur Highway (Dhaka Bypass) PPP Project”at a cost of Tk 79.58 crore. The committee approved a proposal of the Food Ministry to import 50,000 mts of non-Bashmoti parboiled rice from P.K Agri Link Private Limited, India, at a cost of about Tk 177.11 crore.

The government will import 350,000 metric tons of rice more in the coming days as the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its nod in principle to a proposal of the Directorate General of Food on Wednesday.