United News of Bangladesh

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved three separate proposals including the import of urea fertiliser from Russia under the direct procurement method and agreements related to a Chinese-backed economic zone in Chattogram. The approvals came at a meeting of the committee following consideration of proposals submitted by the Industries Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office. Finance Minuster Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury chaired the meeting held at  Secretariat. The fertiliser import proposal was placed by the Industries Ministry. The committee also approved the signing two agreements with Bangladesh CEIZ Company Limited, a Special Purpose Company (SPC) formed for the establishment of the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) at Anwara upazila in Chattogram district. The proposal, submitted by the Prime Minister’s Office, sought approval for the Development Agreement and the Land Lease Agreement to be signed with the company. The Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone is expected to attract foreign investment, facilitate industrialisation and generate employment opportunities in the region. The project is considered one of the majoBr angladesh-China economic cooperation initiatives. The committee also gave nod to another proposal submitted by the Prime Minister’s Office regarding the establishment of a Free Trade Zone. The proposal concerns approval of the portion recommended by the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) based on a report submitted by the committee formed to examine matters related to the establishment of a free trade zone.

The Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs on Tuesday approved in principle the withdrawal of 250-bed ‘New Modern Medical College & Hospital on the unused land in Khulna’ from the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project list. The decision was taken at the committee’s meeting held at the Secretariat with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair. Cabinet Division officials said the Ministry of Railways submitted the proposal. The project, originally planned to be implemented by Bangladesh Railway aimed to address the shortage of modern medical education and healthcare facilities in south-western Bangladesh. Located in Khulna, the country’s third-largest economic hub, it had an estimated capital cost of US$80–100 million and received approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on August 14, 2013. Economic Affairs Committee okays import of crude oil The original plan included a medical college with 50 seats and a 250-bed modern hospital with a projected implementation period of 2013–2017.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday (April 28, 2021) approved in principle a proposal for producing Russian and Chinese Covid-19 vaccines in Bangladesh.  “The cabinet body has approved in principle the Health Ministry’s proposal to facilitate the production of Russian and Chinese vaccines,” said Dr Shahida Aktar, additional secretary of the Cabinet Division, while briefing reporters after the meeting. Also Read: Bangladesh approves emergency use of Russian Sputnik V vaccine She noted that the government will purchase vaccine technology from Russian and China through direct procurement method (DPM) which means the Health Ministry will not require to follow any competitive bidding princess. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtual meeting where the proposal was placed by the Health Ministry on an emergency basis.  Also Read: Will take 2 weeks to get vaccine from alternative sources  Dr Shahida Aktar said Russia’s Sputnik-V and China’s Sinopharm will be produced in Bangladesh using the facilities and logistics of different private pharmaceutical companies. “No name of any specific companies was discussed at the meeting. But it was agreed in principle that the Russian and Chinese authorities will examine facilities and then things will be settled about who will produce the vaccines,” he added. Read Covid-19: Mexico to join clinical trials of Russian vaccine The approval from the government’s top authority came within a day of the government’s move to produce Covid-19 vaccines from Russian and China after India imposed a ban on the export of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine by Serum Institute to Bangladesh.  Mustafa Kamal said though Bangladesh approved Russian and Chinese vaccines’ local production, it will continue to its drive to have vaccine doses from India.  Read Myanmar registers Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine “We didn’t give up the hope about getting vaccine jabs from India,” he told the reporters.