The government on Monday approved a series of major development, energy, and agriculture-related proposals worth several hundred crore takas, aiming to boost infrastructure, ensure energy sustainability, and secure fertiliser supplies ahead of the upcoming farming season.
At the 47th meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase, chaired by Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed at the Bangladesh Secretariat, the committee approved important development projects worth over Tk 726 crore, including road infrastructure upgrades and elevated roads in haor areas.
The meeting approved a proposal from the Road Transport and Highways Division worth Tk108.09 crore for widening and improvement works on regional highways under the Brahmanbaria Road Division, with M/S Jamil Iqbal recommended as the responsive bidder.
The Local Government Division placed two major proposals under the ‘Haor Area Elevated Road and Physical Infrastructure Development Project’. Two packages — Package CW-1 (Sunamganj, Jamalganj): Tk204.54 crore and Package CW-2: Tk413.50 crore –- were approved listing MM Builders and Engineers Ltd. as the recommended bidder.
The committee examined all three proposals and recommended for approval.
Officials said these projects will enhance connectivity and climate-resilient infrastructures in haor and flood-prone regions.
The government approved a re-fixed levelised power tariff for seven power plants to ensure their sustainable operations.
The approved proposals placed by the Power Division related to re-fixed levelised tariffs are for: Gazipur 105 MW HFO plant (Rural Power Co. Ltd), Raozan 25.5 MW HFO plant (RPCL), Kodda, Gazipur 149.356 MW plant (B-R Powergen Ltd), Mirsarai 163 MW dual-fuel plant (B-R Powergen Ltd), Gazipur Kodda 52.194 MW plant (RPCL), Sreepur 160 MW HFO plant (B-R Powergen Ltd), and Sonagazi 75 MW solar power plant.
The committee reviewed each of the proposals and recommended approving the re-fixed levelised tariffs.
Officials said the tariff adjustments aim to ensure sustainable operation of existing generation facilities and support the transition to cleaner power sources.
Separately, the government approved two separate proposals for procuring some 75,000 metric tons of fertiliser worth Tk399.50 crore to ensure adequate agricultural input supply for the upcoming season in the country.
Under a proposal, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Ministry of Industries would import 40,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea fertiliser from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia at Tk199.75 crore.
In another proposal, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture would import 35,000 metric tons of MoP fertiliser under under a G2G arrangement with Russia’s JSC Foreign Economic Corporation (Prodintorg) with the same contract value of Tk199.75 crore.
The government also approved procurement of 50,000 metric tonnes of non-Basmati para-boiled rice.
The Ministry of Food submitted the proposal under Package-06 through international open tendering method.
Singapore-based M/S Agrocorp International Pte Ltd has been recommended as the qualified bidder.
Officials said the import will help maintain adequate food grain reserves and support price stability in the domestic market.
