BSS, Dhaka
The government will procure some three crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines from Serum Institute of India on emergency state purpose through Direct Procurement Method (DPM) with a cost of Taka 1,271.55 crore to effectively deal with this pandemic.
The approval came from a virtual meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.
Briefing reporters virtually after the meeting, Kamal said the day’s meeting approved a total of eight proposals involving an overall cost of around Taka 2,059.42 crore. “Of the total cost, he said around Taka 1,870.82 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh portion while around Taka 188.60 crore from the local banking sources as loan,”
He said the health service division will procure these Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccines.
The finance minister said it’s a good thing that the Indian vaccines have already started arriving in the country and subsequently the country’s people will be vaccinated.
India on Thursday formally handed over 20 lakh doses of Covishield (Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India) as “gift” to Bangladesh at a ceremony in State Guest House Padma in Dhaka today.
Kamal said once all eligible people of the country are vaccinated, they would feel good and thus they would be able to give their utmost efforts towards economic progress of the country.
Answering to a question, the finance minister said, “Considering my age, I will definitely take that vaccine which will be available at the earliest.”
Replying to another question, he said if the private companies are allowed to import vaccines, then those would have to arrange their own financing.
Briefing reporters also in digital platform, Additional Secretary of the Cabinet Division Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said that the meeting approved three separate proposals for procuring a total of 85,000 metric tons of fertilizer from different sources.
He said the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Industries Ministry will procure 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertilizer under the 10th lot from KAFCO, Bangladesh with around Taka 66.29 crore, the BCIC will purchase another 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertilizer under the 11th lot from KAFCO, Bangladesh with around Taka 66.29 crore.
Besides, the BCIC will procure 25,000 metric tons of bulk prield (optional) urea fertilizer from Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) under the 12th and last lot under state-level agreement with Taka 56.01 crore.
Saleh said the CCGP meeting approved another proposal from the Road Transport and Highways Division under which the Joint Venture of National Development Engineering Ltd, MM Builders and Engineers Ltd, Rana Builders Pvt Ltd will implement the package No WP-01 under a project for constructing three bridges at Aminbazar, Salehpur and Noyarhat on Dhaka-Aricha highway with Taka 244.50 crore.
Under two separate proposals from the Ministry of Shipping, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) will procure three modern inland passenger vessels from Three Angle Marine Limited with Taka 142.50 crore while the BIWTC will procure another 8 coastal sea trucks from Ananda Shipyard and Three Angle Marine Limited with around Taka 132.02 crore.
Besides, the day’s meeting gave nod to another proposal from the Ministry of Housing and Public Works to construct a 20-storey residential building at Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka by the Padma Associates & Engineers Ltd with around Taka 80.24 crore.
