Dhaka: The government has approved proposals to procure 1.40 lakh metric tons of fertilizer, two cargos of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and 2.20 lakh metric tons of wheat, aiming to address the nation's increasing demand for these essential commodities. The approvals were granted during the 28th meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase, chaired by Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed at the Cabinet Division of Bangladesh Secretariat.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the meeting saw eight proposals approved, with four from the Ministry of Agriculture, two from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, and one each from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Food. The Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) plans to procure 30,000 metric tons of MOP fertilizer from JSC Foreign Economic Corporation (Prodintorg) in Russia, costing approximately Taka 129.59 crore. Additionally, BADC will import 30,000 metric tons of TSP fertilizer and 40,000 metric tons of DAP fertilizer from OCP, NUTRICROPS in Morocco for about Taka 211.82 crore and Taka 378.22 crore, respectively. A further procurement of 40,000 metric tons of MOP fertilizer from the Canadian Commercial Corporation will amount to around Taka 172.79 crore.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division has been authorized to procure LNG, with Petrobangla acquiring one cargo from M/S Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd. for roughly Taka 513.45 crore. Another cargo will be sourced from Vitol Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore, at an estimated cost of Taka 522.27 crore.
The Ministry of Food's proposal to procure 2.20 lakh metric tons of wheat from the USA on a government-to-government basis through Agrocorp International Pte Limited, as authorized by US Wheat Associates, was also approved. The deal is valued at around Taka 817.57 crore.
Additionally, the purchase committee sanctioned a proposal from the Ministry of Commerce, enabling the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh to buy 7,000 metric tons of lentils from KBC Agro Products Private Limited in Dhaka through the local Open Tender Method for approximately Taka 64.32 crore.