Dhaka: The government has approved the direct procurement of 163 vehicles for the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from state-owned Pragati Industries Limited, bypassing the traditional tender process. This acquisition includes three jeeps, 100 patrol pickup trucks, and 60 air-conditioned microbuses.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the decision was made during a meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Economic Affairs at the Secretariat, chaired by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed. The purchase is part of a project titled ‘Enhancement of Operational Capability of RAB Forces (1st Revised)’ aimed at addressing a vehicle shortage within the elite force.
Adviser to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, stated that the committee endorsed the direct purchase method over the Open Tender Method (OTM). Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Nasimul Gani, highlighted the importance of keeping public funds within state-owned enterprises, emphasizing the role of Pragati Industries as the country’s first fully state-owned automobile manufacturer.
Nasimul Ghani also addressed concerns about the timing of the approval relative to the upcoming national election, clarifying that the process would take time and that vehicle delivery would occur in phases. The procurement involves importing components from Japan, with the vehicles expected to meet operational needs by the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had proposed the direct procurement under the revised RAB capacity enhancement project, which had initially received approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in November 2018. The project aims to modernize RAB’s operations by addressing logistical constraints.
The direct purchase method was proposed under Section 68 of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2006, citing emergency needs to maintain law and order ahead of the national parliamentary election.
In addition to approving the vehicle procurement, the Economic Affairs Committee meeting also considered a proposal to withdraw the ‘Construction of Multimodal Hub at Dhaka Bimanbandar Railway Station’ project from the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) list, citing insufficient land and lack of progress.
The meeting further discussed proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Home Affairs, Energy and Mineral Resources Division, and the Ministry of Railways. A proposal to provide subsidies to farmers affected by potato cultivation damage was sent back for further review, while a proposal involving the transportation of LNG by the Bangladesh Navy was withdrawn.