The government will procure 1.8 lakh tonnes of urea and other fertilizers from Saudi Arabia and UAE to meet higher demand.
The approval came from the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) held virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Sayeed Mahbub Khan said that the day's meeting approved eight proposals including separate proposals for procuring 1.80 lakh metric tons of fertilizer and another 30,000 metric tons of phosphoric acid.
He said following a proposal from the Ministry of Industries, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will procure 30,000 metric tons of phosphoric acid from M/s Sun International FZE, UAE (local agent: M/s RK Enterprise, Dhaka) with a cost of around Tk 215.15 crore where per ton phosphoric acid will cost $674.
He said that BCIC would purchase 30,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE under the 5th lot with around Tk 189.28 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $794.17.
Besides, the BCIC would procure 30,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia under the 13th lot with around Tk 189.28 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $594.17 against the previous per ton price of $625.83.
The state-run corporation will also procure another 30,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from the same SABIC Agri-nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia with around Tk 189.28 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $594.17 down from the previous price of $625.83.
He said that Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture would procure 50,000 metric tons of MOP fertilizer from a Canadian company with around Tk 416.54 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $788 down from the previous price of $821.
Apart from these, the BADC would also procure another 40,000 metric tons of DAP fertilizer from a Saudi company at a cost of around Tk 308.78 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $725.25 against the previous price of $826.50.
Meanwhile, following a proposal from the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) under the Power Division, the package number GD-1: Lot 5 under the project for "Upgradation of power distribution system: Mymensingh Zone" has been awarded to the Ideal Electrical Enterprise Ltd Bangladesh with around Tk 102.62 crore.
He informed that following a proposal from the Bangladesh Bridges Authority under the Bridges Division, the CCGP meeting approved the proposal for appointing the Chinese company as the service provider for the country's maiden tunnel in the port city.
Mahbub said under the proposal, about 65 percent or around Tk 656.99 crore will be provided to the CCCC in local currency while the rest of 35 percent or around Tk 326.84 crore will be provided in foreign currency.
He said that under the proposal, the portion of the payment to be made in US dollars, has been specified.
