The state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has failed to float an open tender for setting up 10 grid-connected solar power plants in the private sector, despite a top-level decision by the Power Division as part of renewable energy promotion. “The officials concerned have not been able to complete their preparations to float the tender, even though the decision is being given the utmost priority by the interim government,” said a source wishing anonymity. Earlier, the Power Division directed the BPDB to float the tender for the development of 10 grid-connected solar power plants in the private sector, each with a capacity of 50 MW, totalling 500 MW. Sources said the move came against the backdrop of the interim government’s decision not to sign any further contracts under the Enhancement of Power and Energy Supply Act (Special) Act, 2010. As a result, the future of 34 proposed private-sector grid-connected solar power plant projects, for which the BPDB had previously issued Letters of Intent (LoI) under the previous Awami League government, has become uncertain. BPDB had selected these firms through the process of ‘unsolicited offer’ under the Speedy Enhancement of Power and Energy Supply Act (Special) Act, 2010. Under this law, the government can award the contract of a project to any private firm without a tender process. Energy experts have criticised this Special Act as the root cause of all corruptions and irregularities in the power and energy sector during the Awami League tenure. Read: BPDB likely to invite tender for setting up 10 grid-connected solar power plants They alleged that many underqualified private companies were awarded power plant projects, significantly increasing costs and contributing to an annual sector loss of Tk 70,000 crore. As a result, after the fall of the Awami League government in a mass upsurge, the Dr Yunus-led interim government assumed office and decided to suspend the law and not sign any further contracts under the Speedy Enhancement of Power and Energy Supply Act (Special) Act, 2010. The interim government’s Energy Adviser Dr Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan announced the decision soon after assuming office in the Power and Energy Ministry, saying that all future projects will be implemented through an open tender process. This decision, however, put the private sponsors, who pursued the 34 solar projects, in great difficulty as they had already spent huge amounts of money to procure land and secure the LoI. In such a situation, they expressed their interest to get these projects through a competitive bidding process and secure the contract through open tender. Read: BPDB to prepare position paper on its financial and economic condition within a week “We have decided to initially float a tender for setting up a good number of location-wise 50 MW solar projects. It will help those who have already procured land to get the project through a competitive bidding process,” Senior Secretary to the Power Division Habibur Rahman told UNB about 10 days ago. He said the government is trying to implement solar power projects as part of renewable energy promotion. The private sponsors will set up the plants at their own cost and the BPDB will purchase electricity from the private plants for a specific period of time. “The BPDB will soon float the tender for a number of grid-connected solar projects, each of 50 MW capacity. Mostly, those locations will be selected where power evacuation facilities are available with grid substations,” said the power secretary. He, however, did not provide details of the locations. Read more: Interim govt contemplating new bond issuance to clear BPDB’s dues with pvt power producers  A senior official of the BPDB mentioned that mainly the Independent Power Producer (IPP) Cell-1 has been working on preparing the tender document and site selection. Despite repeated calls over the mobile phone, Director of the IPP Cell-1 Shamsuzzoha Kabir did not respond to queries in this regard.

Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) , the state marketing agency, will import 33 million (3.30 crore) litres of soybean oil from two companies, one from United Arab Emirates and another from Canada, through direct purchase method (DPM) without any tender process. Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in a meeting on Wednesday approved a proposal placed by the Commerce Ministry in this regard. The committee also approved two separate proposals on fertiliser import which shows that the price of urea fertiliser has substantially decreased in the global market. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtual meeting while members of the committee joined it. Read: TCB to procure soyabean oil, lentil and sugar from business groups According to the proposal, some 22 million (2.20 crore) litres of edible oil will be procured from Ferrani Polaska Spzoo Food Stuff Trading LLC, UAE (local agent: Shan Trading Ltd, Dhaka) while 11 million (1.10 crore) litres of oil from Canada INC, Canada (local agent: Haque Group, Dhaka). The entire import will cost Tk 448.82 crore, with each litre costing $1.44 (equivalent to Tk 136) valuing each dollar Tk 94.45. The TCB will sell the edible oil in bottles, each having two litres of oil. Besides, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Industries Ministry will procure 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertiliser from Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company Limited (Kafco) at a cost of Tk 157.32 crore, with each metric ton costing $557.87. Earlier, such price was $567.50 per metric ton.     The BCIC will import another 30,000 mt of bulk granular urea fertiliser from Saudi Arabia-based SABIC Agri-nutrients Company at a cost of Tk 158.15 crore, each metric ton costing $560.83. Earlier such price was 597.57 per metric ton. Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved two proposals in principle for import of fertiliser under state-to-state contracts. Under these contracts, BCIC will import 3.6 lakh metric tons of urea fertiliser from Fertiglobe Distribution Ltd, UAE, Qatar under state to state agreement while Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) will import one lakh (100,000) metric tons of MOP fertiliser from UAE-based Falco General Trading LLC. However, the two proposals will require a final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase to start the import by stretching prices.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) will invite fresh tender to procure 395,000 tabs (tablets) from Bangladeshi manufacturers. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal informed this following the rejection of a tender proposal by the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase (CCPP) on Monday. He said the cabinet body rejected the proposal due to the deficit of the supply-firm in the selection criteria. READ: 40 pc people know about handwashing with water and soap: BBS survey Earlier, Fair Electronics Limited was selected by the BBS as supplier of the bulk tabs at a cost of Tk 537.12 crore. Kamal noted two Bangladeshi firms were selected by the BBS and both were local manufacturers of the electronic devices. “But the committee rejected the proposal of the Fair Electronics and we hope the BBS will invite fresh tender within the next 10 days”, he said. He said the government prefers Bangladeshi manufacturers to get the job so that the “Made in Bangladesh” products could be supplied for the contract. The  minister said many Bangladeshi firms have now become capable of producing electronic devices locally. “We want Bangladeshi firms to obtain the capacity to supply such products with good quality”, he added. Meanwhile, the CCPP approved a total of 15 procurement proposals from different government entities. Two proposals of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporations (BPC) received the approval of the committee. As per the approvals, some 1.6 million metric tons of crude petroleum will be imported from ADNOC of Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia at Tk 7,467.06 crore in 2022 and 1.290 MT of refined petroleum will be imported from (1) PetroChina International, Singapore, (2) Unipec Singapore Pte Ltd and (3) Vito Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore at a cost of Tk 7,627.04 crore during the January to June period. The committee approved a proposal of the Khulna WASA to award a Tk 830 crore construction contract to China GEO Engineering Corporation under Khulna Sewerage System Development project. READ: Cardiac arrest Bangladesh’s No 1 killer in 2020: BBS A proposal of the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority received the approval for increasing the cost of the consultant for Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Extension project by Tk 200.92 crore. Joint Venture of (1) Nippon Koei.Co. Ltd. Japan; (2) Oriental Consultants Global Co. Ltd. Japan; (3) CPG Consultants Pte. Ltd. Singapore (4) Development Design Consultants Ltd. Bangladesh now remained engaged in the project as its consultant. The committee approved three separate proposals of the Bangladesh Chemical Corporation (BCIC) to import a total of 90,000 MT of urea fertilizer from under three lots, each having 30,000 MW. Qatar’s Muntajat will supply 60,000 MT while local Kafco will supply the remaining 30,000 MT of the fertilizer.   Qatar’s fertilizer will cost $961.17 and $964.83 per MT while Kafco’s fertilizer will cost $893.62 per MT.