The Cabinet Committee on public purchase (CCPP) approved a total of 8 proposals including setting up 660 MW gas-fired plant in Meghnaghat in Gazaria of Munshiganj by private sector, import fertilizer and purchase of Corona Virus RT-qPCR Diagnostic kits. Finance Minister AHM Musafa Kamal presided over the virtually held cabinet body meeting on Sunday. As per proposals, Consortium of (1) Edra Power Holdings Sdn Bhd, Malaysia and (2) Winnievision Power Ltd, Bangladesh, will set up the 660 MW combined cycle plant on unsolicited basis under the Speedy Supply of Power and Energy Act (special provision) 2010. The state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will purchase electricity from the plant over a period of 22 years at a levelised power tariff of 3.679 US Cents (equivalent to Tk 2.94) per kilowatt hour if it is run by local gas. But if the plant is run by imported re-gasified liquefied natural gas (R-LNG), the tariff will be 6.7972 US Cents (equivalent to Tk 5.4377) kilowatt hour (per unit). The government will have to Pay Tk 69,165 crore to the consortium to purchase the electricity from the plant over the contracted period of 22 years. Another proposal of the Power Division that received the nod of the committee to extend a deal with India for another 5 years to import 160 MW electricity from its Tripura state. Read: Cabinet body okays imports of rice & fertilisers The committee approved a proposal of the Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD) under the public health division to procure 2 million CoronaVirus RT-qPCR Diagnostic kits (with VTM and swab) from three suppliers Sterling Multi Technologies Ltd, Dhaka; OMC (Pvt) Ltd. Dhaka; and G.S Biotech, Narayanganj, at a cost of Tk 117.41 crore. Three separate proposals of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation under the Industries Ministry received the nod of the committee to import a total of 90,000 metric tons of urea fertilizers. Of these, the BCIC will purchase 30,000 MT of fertilizer from each of the three suppliers—Kafco of Bangladesh, Muntajat of Qatar and Sabic of Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the Cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) gave in principle approval to four separate proposals. As per a proposal of the Public Transport Division under the Ministry of Establishment, 50 Mitsubishi Pajero sports jeeps will be purchased for the Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO) from the state-owned Progoti Industries through direct procurement method. The CCEA gave approval to a proposal of the Roads and Highway Department to cancel its decision to implement its project titled: Implementation of Dhaka –Chattagram Expressway Construction under PPP. Read: Fertiliser demand rescheduled for fiscal year 2020-21 The committee approved another proposal of the Roads and Highway Department to implement its project—Hatirjheel-Rampura Bridge-Banasri-Shekhertek-Amulia Highway Improvement into four lane—through public private partnership (PPP). As per the decision, now the project will be awarded to the Consortium of (1) China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCCL) and (2) China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) to work as PPP partner. A proposal of the Health Directorate under Public Health Service Division received the nod of the CCEA to import 27.64 crore syringes from China National Pharmaceuticals Foreign Trade Corporation under the direct procurement method for vaccinating 13.82 crore people. The syringes will be purchased to achieve a target to vaccinate 2 crore people every month against the coronavirus.

The cabinet economic affairs committee (CCEA) on Wednesday approved in principle two proposals, including the procurement of two Russian helicopters by the Bangladesh Police. The CCEA gave the nod to the proposal of the Bangladesh Police at a meeting to procure the two helicopters from Russia under a G-to-G contract. However, the cost of the helicopters was not disclosed in the meeting as the issue will come to the cabinet committee on public purchase (CCPP) for the final approval. Meanwhile, the CCPP today approved 7 procurement proposals, including the import of LNG, wheat and fertiliser. Read: Cabinet purchase body clears procurement of huge wheat, fertiliser As per the CCPP-approved proposals, state-owned Petrobangla will import 33.60 lakh MMBtu of liquified natural gas (LNG) from Vitol Asia Pte Pls, Singapore at a cost of Tk 1,205 crore -- each MMBtu price at $35.8932 -- while another 33.60 lakh MMBtu of LNG will be imported from Gunvor Singapore Pte. Ltd at a cost of Tk 1,241 crore -- each unit price at $36.95. About the purchase of such a huge bulk LNG import on a single occasion, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said through this import Bangladesh has completed its required purchase of fuel up to December year. “Since the price of LNG is rising, we’ve made advance procurement,” he told reporters. Read: Quick energy supply: Cabinet approves 5-yr extension of special provision The Food Directorate General will import 100,000 metric tons of wheat from Russia under a G-to-G contract at a cost of Tk 357.61 crore. Bangladesh Chemical industries Corp[oration (BCIC) will import 30,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea from Fertiglobe Distribution limited, UAE at Tk 127.67 crore while another 30,000 MTs will be imported from Muntajat, Qatar, at a cost of Tk 129.84 crore.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has said he received no application from the Padma Bank Limited for its merger plan with any state-owned bank.   “I received no application from Padma Bank so far,” he said while talking to reporters after a meeting of the cabinet committee on public purchase (CCPP) on Wednesday. Mustafa Kamal, however, said now all the state-owned banks like Janata, Sonali and Rupali have certain stakes in the Padma Bank’s ownership structure.    He also said a draft has been prepared for framing a law on the merger and acquisition. “Hopefully, the law will be enacted soon to facilitate the process of merger and acquisition. Once the law is enacted, we can consider the proposal of the Padma Bank.”   Read: Savings certificates: Finance Minister defends profit lowering Kamal said the owners of the Padma Bank failed to run the bank due to corruption by a section of people. “Punitive measures were taken against those people. Now they are in jail after trial,” he said adding, “What else can the government do?   Responding to another question, the finance minister said Business Research International Corporation Inc. (BRIC), a Panama-based company, which was given the approval to set up a 50MW solar power plant in Terkhada in Khulna, is not a tainted company like those the names of which were published in Panama Papers. He said the company in Joint Venture with Hero Future Energies Asia Pte. Ltd, Singapore will set up the plant on its own and the government does not need to invest any amount in the project.   Read: No money from stimulus package enters stock market: Finance Minister State-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will purchase electricity over 20 years at a total cost of Tk 1328.90 crore. The finance minister said this company may be based in Panama, but it is not among those companies which were published by Panama Papers for their corruption. “Panama Papers companies and a Panama-based company are not the same,” he said.   

The cabinet committee on public purchase (CCPP) at a meeting on Wednesday approved 11 procurement proposals, including the import of 50,000 metric tons of wheat and 90,000 mt of fertiliser. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtual meeting. As per the approvals, Agrocorp International Pte Ltd., Singapore will supply the 50,000 mt of wheat at a cost of 29.1069 million (equivalent to Tk 179.50 crore) under an international quotation invited by the Directorate General of Food. Each metric ton of wheat will cost $421.38. Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will import 90,000 mt of urea fertiliser from three companies under three separate lots under state-to-state contracts. Of these, the Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE will supply 30,000 mt of bulk granular urea at $10.3524 million (equivalent to Tk 115.16 crore) -- each ton at $ 450.833. Muntajat of Qatar will supply 30,000 MT of bagged granular urea at $10.314 million (equivalent to Tk 111.71 crore) -- each MT $436.83. Read: Cabinet body okays imports of rice & fertilisers Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) will supply 30,000 mt bulk granular urea at $10.2775 million (equivalent to Tk 108.90 crore) – each mt at $425.83. Two proposals of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) also received the CCPP nod. Of these, the BREB will award a Tk 84.42 crore contract to MANS Electrical Ltd, for the supply of 13,040 distribution transformers for the electricity distribution network expansion project at Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions. It will ward a Tk 71.23 crore contract to Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory Ltd, for the supply of 51,359 SPC poles for the same extricate distribution project. Read: Fertiliser demand rescheduled for fiscal year 2020-21 The committee approved a tender proposal to award a Tk 123.91 crore contract MONICO Ltd, Dhaka for the construction of a land port at Ramghar in Khagrachari district under “Bangladesh Regional Connectivity Project-1: Development of Sheola, Bhomrah, Ramgarh Land Ports and upgradation of Security System of Benapole Land Port ''. The committee also approved a proposal for appointing a consultant for Cox’s Bazar airport runway construction project and awarding two separate contracts for administration building construction of Sheikh Hasina University, Netrakona and its land development project.