The government of Bangladesh will import 12,500 metric tons (MT) of sugar and 220,000 MT of fertliser to meet the domestic requirements. Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in a meeting on Wednesday (May 17, 2023) approved a number of proposals in this regard. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting held virtually. According to a proposal of the Commerce Ministry, its subordinate body Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will import the sugar from Accentuate Technology Inc., USA (Local Agent: OMC Ltd., Dhaka) through an international open tender system at total cost of Tk 66.27 crore with per kilogram (kg) cost at Tk 82.85. Also Read: PM Hasina: Bangladesh won't buy anything from those who impose sanctions against it Additional secretary to the Cabinet Division Sayeed Mahbub Khan, who briefed reporters about the Cabinet body meeting, said while approving the proposal the issue of the Prime Minister’s instruction not to import any goods from any country which imposed sanction on Bangladesh was not discussed in the meeting. The committee approved two separate proposals of the Industries Ministry to import a total of 60,000 MT of urea fertilizer and 10,000 MT of phosphoric acid by its subordinate body Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC). Also Read: Tariff Commission recommends fixing loose sugar price at Tk 120, packaged Tk 125 per kg Of these, 30,000 MT of bagged granular urea will be procured from Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company Limited (Kafco) at cost of Tk 120.03 crore with per MT price at $371.25 while another 30,000 MT bulk granular urea fertiliser will be imported from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia at a cost of Tk 106.25 crore with per MT price at $327.33.  The BCI will import 10,000 MT of phosphoric acid at Tk 60.95 crore from Sun International FZE, UAE (Local Agent: M/s Agro Industrial Input, Dhaka) for TSP Complex Limited, Chittagong. Each MT of acid will cost $566.50. Also Read: Letter to be sent to NBR to extend duty exemption on sugar import: Commerce Secretary The CCGP approved a total of six proposals of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), placed by the Agriculture Ministry, for importing a total of 160,000 MT of different types of fertilizers. Of these, the BADC will import 40,000 MT of DAP fertilizer from MA'ADEN, Saudi Arabia at a cost Tk 229.33 crore, $532 under the state level contract. Also Read: Raid if sugar is not sold at govt-fixed rate: Tipu Munshi It will import 30,000 MT of TSP fertiliser from OCP, S.A. of Morocco at a cost Tk 126.57 crore, with each MT price at $391.50, under the state level contract while 40,000 MT of DAP fertilizer will be imported from the same company of Morocco at a cost of Tk 233.42 crore with per MT price at $541.5. The BADC will import 50,000 MT of Muriate of Potash (MOP) fertiliser from the Canadian Commercial Corporation under the state-level contract at a cost of Tk 225.23crore, with per MT price at $418. Also Read: Japan wants to invest in sugar industry, biomass power, prepaid gas meters in Bangladesh The CCGP approved a proposal of the Local Government Division to extend the cost of the consultant by Tk 11.1 crore for its project "Water Supply and Sanitation in 23 Municipalities of Bangladesh (1st Revised)" being implemented by the Department of Public Health Engineering. Joint Venture of (1) Ranhill, (2) Farhat and (3) DDC had been appointed as consultant for the project. Also Read: Sugar disappears from Dhaka stores amid high price

Bangladesh will import 2.040 million (20.40 lakh) metric tons (MT) of refined petroleum from 7 state-owned entities from 6 countries for a six month period from January to June in 2023. Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in a virtual meeting approved a proposal of state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) in this regard on Wednesday. The 7 state-owned entities are BSP Indonesia, ENOC UAE, IOCL India, Petrochina China, PTLCL Malaysia, PTTT Thailand and UNIPEC China. As per the proposal, placed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, the BPC will import the bulk refined petroleum at a total cost of Tk 18,215.52 crore. Read more: Bangladesh wants to import petroleum from KSA at lower price: Nasrul Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting which was virtually attended by the members of the committee. However, no detail of the proposed refined petroleum import was disclosed by the authorities concerned. Normally, Bangladesh annually needs to import about 6.633 million metric tons of refined and crude petroleum of which 5.233 is refined and remaining 1.4 million metric tons is crude oils for a year to meet its requirements. The cabinet body also approved another proposal of the BPC to import 60,000 metric tons of diesel from India's Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) from January to December, 2023 period at a cost of Tk 545.04 crore. The committee also approved three contract award proposals of the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) for modernisation and capacity building of power distribution projects in Khulna Division. All the three contracts were awarded to the BRB Cable Industries Ltd. The 2 contracts are supplying 6,650 km conductor and wire (Bare) supply at Tk 67.03 crore under Lot -1 and the supply of the same products at price under Lot-2. Read more: Bangladesh plans to import 5.46 million MT of petroleum in 2023 Under the Lot-3, there will be supply of 1,200 km of conductor and wire (Insulated) at 18.67 crore A proposal of the Bangladesh Chemical Industries (BCIC) received the nod of the committee to import 30,000 metric tons bulk granular urea fertilizer from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE at Tk 150.08 crore. Another proposal of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) under the Ministry of Commerce to import 12,000 MT of sugar from Srinnova Ispat Private Ltd., Kolkata, India at a cost of Tk 70.02 crore received the nod of the committee.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved a number of proposals including import of a total of 180,000 metric tons (MT) of fertiliser. The committee also approved a proposal of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority to pay 65 percent of the payment in Bangladesh currency and remaining 35 percent in foreign currency (US dollar) to the Chinese service provider of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel. Read more: Proposals to import sugar, fertilizer get cabinet body nod Earlier, the Chinese CCCC was appointed as service provider at a cost of Tk 983.82 crore for a five-year tenure. It will collect the toll from the tunnel user vehicles and also conduct its operation and maintenance work. Under the new approval, the Chinese CCCC will get annually Tk 656.98 crore (as 65 percent of the payment) in local currency and $35.162 million (equivalent to Tk 326.83 crore) in US dollar. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtual meeting while members of the committee attended it. As per approval, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will import 90,000 MT of urea fertiliser in four equal lots while the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation will import the remaining 90,000 MT MOP and DAP fertiliser in two lots. In one lot, the BCIC will import 30,000 MT of bulk granular urea fertiliser from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE at a cost of Tk 189.28 crore with per matric ton’s value at $594.67. Some 60,000 MT of the same urea will be imported by the BCIC from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia in two lots (each 30,000 MT) at the same rate and the total cost will be Tk 387.56 crore. Read more: Cabinet purchase body okays import of 90,000 MT fertiliser, other proposals The BCIC will also import 30,000 MT of phosphoric acid from Sun International of FZE, the UAE (local agent RK Enterprise, Dhaka) at a contract value of Tk 215.14 crore. The BADC, under the Agriculture Ministry, will import 50,000 MT of MOP fertiliser from Canada at a cost of Tk 416.64 crore with per MT price at $821. It will import 40,000 MT of DAP from Saudi Arabia at a cost of Tk 308.78 crore with per MT price at $826.50. The committee gave nod to a proposal of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) to award a Tk 102.61 crore civil work contract to Ideal Electrical Enterprise Ltd., under Bangladesh Power Distribution System Improvement, Mymensingh zone project.

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.

Some 89.51 percent decisions taken by the Cabinet from January 2019 to June 2022, have been implemented. The Cabinet took a total of 810 decisions during the period. Of them, 725 have already been executed, while the implementation of remaining 85 others is underway, according to a report placed at the Cabinet meeting held on Monday. Also read: Cabinet clears draft family court act 2022 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the meeting virtually form from her official residence Ganobhaban. Other cabinet members and officials concerned were at the meeting room of the Cabinet Division in Bangladesh Secretariat. “The implementation rate of the cabinet’s decisions since January 2019 was 89.51 percent,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam at press briefing at Bangladesh Secretariat. Also read: All citizens aged 18-50 can join universal pension scheme: Cabinet clears a draft law According to the report, some 252 decisions (97.67pc) out of 258 decisions taken by the Cabinet in 2019 were implemented, while 242 ones (96.41pc) out of 251 decisions taken in 2020 were executed, 151 ones (83.89pc) out of 180 decisions taken in 2021 were implemented and 80 others (66.12pc) out of 121 decisions taken in 2022 (till June) were executed.

VAT (value added tax) on the import of commodities like sugar, chickpea, and edible oil has been withdrawn, said Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Thursday. He announced this while briefing reporters after two consecutive meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase. Read:Two traders fined Tk 1.5 lakh for soyabean oil hoarding in Bagerhat The minister said VAT on the import of these commodities has been withdrawn as their consumption is higher during the Holy Ramadan. “Considering the Holy Ramadan, we took the decision to withdraw the VAT for a temporary period,” he said.  “The decision has been taken so that prices of the essentials can be kept at a tolerable level,” he added. He, however, did not give any detail of the product lists from which the VAT has been withdrawn. Meanwhile, the public relations officer of the Finance Ministry said that 15 per cent tax at production level and 5 per cent tax at retail level have been withdrawn from edible oil. 

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has said he does not have any mechanism to glean information about money laundering. “I don’t have any mechanism of my own. I’ve received some information from newspapers. I believe the Bangladesh Bank has been working on it,” he told reporters while briefing them on the outcomes of the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday. The Finance Minister, however, said there are some other government bodies responsible to collect information and bring the perpetrators to justice. “We’re taking legal action against them and they’re being punished as per law.”  READ: ‘No idea who’re siphoning off money; give me a list’: Finance Minister Mustafa Kamal said he has a plan to brief journalists soon about how many people have been brought under the law and tried and what kind of improvement made in this regard.   “I’ll inform you about the steps I’ve taken and how many people have been tried,” he said. Responding to another question, the finance minister said he supports the state minister for power and energy statement that petroleum prices need to be adjusted downward if and when the international market gets stable. “Now the market is flexible, the prices of fuels are fluctuating frequently’, he said.    No idea who’re siphoning off money On November 27, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said he has no idea who are actually siphoning off money from the country and asked the opposition MPs to provide him with a list of money launderers. READ: People’s interest in paying tax is growing in Bangladesh: Finance Minister “I don’t siphon off money. I believe you (MPs) also don't. How will I be able to know of those who're siphoning off money if you don’t provide me with a list!” he said. During the passage of Bankers’ Book Evidence Bill 2021, the minister came under fire by the opposition MPs for his “failure” to stop money laundering.

The government has cancelled the Shantinagar to Dhaka-Mawa (Jhilmil) Flyover project taken under public-private partnership (PPP) as the ministry concerned took it off from the PP list. The cabinet committee on economic affairs at a meeting on Wednesday approved a proposal of the Rajdhani Unnayak Kartipakkha (Rajuk) to cancel the project. The Ministry of Housing and Public Works placed the cancellation proposal on behalf of Rujik. Read:DMP commissioner for setting up traffic police boxes beneath flyovers About the cancellation, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, who presided over the cabinet body meeting, said the perspective of the previous decision to implement the project through PPP does not exist anymore. He noted that the relevant ministry has withdrawn the project from the PPP list and they can now say how and when they would implement the project. Earlier, the cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) in principle approved the project on January 9, 2013 to implement under the PPP method while on June 6, 2018, the finance ministry approved the proposal for allocating Tk 534.72 crore as viability gas funding (VGF).” Later, six firms submitted the Request for Quotation (RFQ) for implementing the project. The cabinet body, however, approved in principle another proposal of the Road Transport and Highway Division to appoint Consortium of (1) China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCCL) and (2) China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) as investor for implementing the Rampura-Amulia-Demra Highway project to upgrade it to a four-lane one under PPP. Meanwhile, the cabinet committee on public purchase approved five procurement proposals. As per one proposal, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Industries Ministry will import a total of 90,000 metric tons (MT) of fertilizer from two companies through separate proposals. Of these, 30,000 MT of bulk granular urea fertilizer will be imported from Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) at Tk 206.31 crore at $778.67 each ton while another 30,000 MT of prilled urea will be bought from the same company at a cost of Tk 200.31 crore , at $802 each metric ton. Another 30,000 MT of bagged granular urea will be procured from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company (Kafco) at a cost of Tk 198.72 crore, at $767.50 each metric. Read: Flyovers, underpasses construction to remain suspended for 14 days: Quader The committee approved a proposal of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) to procure spares and consumables parts for schedule maintenance of Gas Turbine and Gas Turbine Generator of the 4th unit of Ghorashal re-powered power plant from General Electric Global Parts and Products GmbH, Switzerland at Tk 301.98 crore. A proposal of the Khulna Wasa received the approval of the committee to appoint the Joint Venture of (1) Dohwa Engineering Co. Ltd. Korea; (2) Dev Consultants Ltd (BAN); (3) Institute of Water Modeling (BAN); and (4) BETS Consulting Services Ltd. as consultant for Khulna Sewage Management System project at a cost of Tk 71.38 crore. The committee approved a proposal of the Ministry of the Shipping extending the cost of the project titled: “Establishment of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System & Integrated Maritime Navigation System (EGIMNS)” by 104.9 crore.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has said the mass people have to bear the burden of increased fuel price to some extent as the government needs money to finance development projects. “The consumers have to share some of the burden, while the rest is borne by the government. The government has to earn money from the taxes… This is an easy equation,” he said while briefing reporters after presiding over a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday. Read:CPD for reinstating previous fuel prices  “If the price is not hiked, how could the government earn? The government has to spend money for development projects,” he said.    He, however, said he will brief on the fuel price hike after the next week’s meeting of the cabinet body. The government hiked the price of diesel and kerosene by 23 per cent and subsequently bus fare was raised by 28 per cent.

The cabinet committee formed over e-commerce issues by the Commerce Ministry has sought the opinion of the Law and Justice Division for retrieving Tk 214 crore stuck in the payment gateways and returning it to the customers. Additional Secretary of the ministry and coordinator of the committee AHM Shafiquzzaman said this to journalists after attending the third meeting of the committee held at the secretariat on Tuesday. AHM Shafiquzzaman said letters had already been sent to the Public Security Division and Crime Investigation Department (CID) of police for returning the amount stuck in escrow or the gateway. Also read: 49 e-commerce platforms are blacklisted, refund of customers’ money in process: Commerce Ministry In the meantime, the Cabinet Secretary held a meeting with CID, Bangladesh Bank and another involved to discuss the process of returning money, he said. Following the meeting, legal opinion from the Law and Justice Division was sought as a huge amount is stuck due to pending cases. Depending on the opinion, they might be able to return the amount which is out of legal issues, he said. Also read: E-commerce firms must get registered within 2 months: Cabinet Replying to a question the secretary said, “It is taking time to return the money because CID has freezed it.”