Govt to procure 2.65 lakh MTs fertilizer, 4 cargo LNG

The government approved separate proposals for procuring some 2.65 lakh metric tons of fertilizer and 4 cargo LNG to meet the growing demand of the country.

The approval came from the 15th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in this year held today 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 a total of 14 proposals.

He said that following separate proposals from the Ministry of Industries, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) would procure 30,000 metric tons of phosphoric acid from M/s Sun International FZE, UAE (local agent: M/s Agro Industrial Input, Dhaka) with around Taka 184.64 crore where per ton would cost $572 against the previous price of $674.

Mahbub said the BCIC would procure 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertilizer from Muntajat, Qatar under state-level agreement under the 15th lot with around Taka 95.32 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $295.33 against the previous price of $308.67.

The BCIC would also procure another 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertilizer from KAFCO, Bangladesh with around Taka 105.14 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $325.75 against the previous price of $309.25.

The Cabinet Division additional secretary informed that following four separate proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) would procure 40,000 metric tons of DAP fertilizer from MA'ADEN, Saudi Arabia under state-level agreement under the 2nd lot with around Taka 238.59 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $554.25 against the previous price of $599.75.

The BADC would purchase 50,000 metric tons of MOP fertilizer from Canadian Commercial Corporation under state-level agreement under the 3rd lot with around Taka 226.16 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $420.38 down from the previous price of $444.13.

In another proposal, the BADC would procure 25,000 metric tons of TSP fertilizer from GCT, Tunisia under state-level agreement under the 1st lot with around Taka 105.73 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $393.

The BADC would also procure 30,000 metric tons of TSP fertilizer from OCP, SA, Morocco under state-level agreement under the 1st lot with around Taka 132.67 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $411 against the previous price of $480.

Besides, the government would also purchase 30,000 metric tons of urea from SABIC, Agri, Saudi Arabia with around Taka 105.02 crore.

Mahbub said following four separate proposals from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, Petrobangla would procure 33.60 lakh MMBtu LNG from M/S Vitol Asia Pte Ltd. Singapore with around Taka 465.17 crore with per MMBtu LNG costing $10.9788 against the previous price of $13.28.

The Petrobangla would procure 33.60 lakh MMBtu LNG from M/S Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd. Singapore with around Taka 528.36 crore with per MMBtu LNG costing $12.47 against the previous price of $13.21.

The Petrobangla would procure another consignment of 33.60 lakh MMBtu from M/S Vitol Asia Pte Ltd. Singapore with around Taka 503.73 crore while another consignment of 33.60 lakh MMBtu LNG from M/S Excelerate Energy LP, US with around Taka 516.50 crore.

In another proposal from the Ministry of Commerce, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) would procure some 12,500 metric tons of sugar from a Turkish company with around Taka 64.20 crore where per Kg sugar would cost Taka 82.89 against the previous price of Taka 88.74.

The day's CCGP meeting also approved a cost variation proposal from the Ministry of Railways on the Padma Bridge Rail Link project.