Dhaka: The Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase has recommended the approval of separate proposals to procure lentil and edible oil in an effort to stabilize the market for essential commodities before the Holy Month of Ramadan. This decision was made during the committee's first meeting of the year held at the Cabinet Division Conference Room at Bangladesh Secretariat, chaired by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the committee approved the procurement of 10,000 metric tons of lentil through the national Open Tender Method at a cost of approximately Taka 71.87 crore, with the price set at Taka 71.87 per kg. The proposal was presented by the Ministry of Commerce, and Payel Automatic Food Processing Mills, based in Chattogram, has been selected as the supplier.
The committee also sanctioned the import of 1,35,75,000 litres of refined soybean oil via the international Direct Procurement Method. This will incur a cost of around Taka 178.47 crore, and the per litre price is fixed at Taka 131.47. The soybean oil is to be imported from Thailand through Prime Corp World Company Limited. Additionally, a separate proposal for procuring soybean oil through a national tender was withdrawn following a request from the Ministry of Commerce.