Govt approves import of LNG, 4 other products
Govt won’t allow any shortage of essential commodities, Adviser Salehuddin says
The government will import LNG, fertiliser, soybean oil, sugar and chickpea to meet the local demands.
Advisors' Council Committee on Government Purchase (ACCGP) in a meeting, with Finance Adviser Salehuddin Admed in the chair, approved a number of procurement proposals in this regard.
After the meeting, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed told reporters that the government will not allow any shortage of essential commodities.
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"We have approved proposals to import four products so that there should not be any shortage in the market. All these products are very important for the consumers.
"The government approved import of chickpea targeting next Ramadan. Soon, the government will move to import of dates for the same reason," he added.
He further said, "Despite the financial constraints, by and large, we will try to ensure adequate supply of these essential products so that the common people do not suffer."
According to the two separate proposals, moved by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, state owned Petrobangla will import 2 cargoes of LNG (liquefied natural gas) from the international spot market through limited tender.
The US-based Excelerate Energy LP will supply one LNG cargo, containing 33.66 lakh MMBtu (Million British Thermal Unit) at a cost of Tk686.38 crore, with each MMBtu) at $14.55.
The same company will supply another cargo of same quantity at a cost of Tk669.50 crore, with each MMBtu at $14.65.
Three separate proposals of the Commerce Ministry received approval of the committee.
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Commerce, will import 10,000 tonnes of chickpeas from Australia's DSL Pacific Pty Ltd (4,000 tonnes) and Aust-Grant PTY LTD (6,000 tonnes) at a cost Tk101.99 crore.
The two Australian firms were selected to supply the product through international open tender where each kilogramme of chickpea will cost Tk107.39.
The TCB will procure 32.60 lakh litres of Soybean oil from the local Bashundhara Multi Food Products Ltd through direct purchase method (DPM) at a cost of Tk53.18 crore, with each MT at Tk163.65.
The TCB will procure 5,000 tonnes of Sugar from the local City Sugar Industries Ltd through open tender at a cost of Tk60.46 crore, with each kilogram at Tk120.92.
Two separate proposals of the Ministry of Industries received the nod of the committee.
Of these, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will import 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea fertiliser from Muntajar of Qatar at a cost of Tk131.76 crore, with each tonne at $366.
The BICI will import another 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia at a cost of Tk137.76 crore, with each tonne at $382.67.
