Govt clears proposals to import 1.3mt crude oil, 105,000 mt fertilizer

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday approved eight proposals, including the import of 1.3 million metric tons of crude oil and 105,000 metric tons of fertilizer from foreign sources.

Chaired by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, the virtual meeting was attended by its members, mostly senior ministers.

According to a decision of the meeting, Bangladesh will import 1.3 million metric tons of crude petroleum oil from two gulf countries -- Saudi Arabia and the UAE --for the year 2021.

State-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) under Energy and Mineral Resources Division will import the bulk crude petroleum from the Saudi Armco of Saudi Arabia and Adnoc of Abu Dhabi at a cost of Tk 5,204 crore. 

The committee gave its nod to four separate proposals of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Industries Ministry to procure a total of 105,000 metric tons of fertilizer of different categories from different international organisations. 

Of the total amount, 30,000 mt of bagged granular urea fertilizer will be procured from Bangladesh-based Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company (Kafco) at Tk 63.74 crore, while 25,000 mt urea from Muntajat of Qatar at Tk 58.88 crore, another 25,000 mt bulk prilled urea from the same company at Tk 56.54 crore and 25,000 mt of bulk granular urea from Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) at 56.49 crore.      

A proposal of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) under Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges also received the cabinet body nod to appoint a private firm -- Computer Network System (CNS) Limited -- at a contract value of Tk 105.22 crore for the installation of 12-lane VIP vehicle inspection station.

Under a 5-year contract, the CNS, as a service provider, will supply and set up the necessary inspection machines and hardware at Dhaka Metro-1 Office of BRTA and also operate and do their maintenance and finally hand over those to the authorities concerned.      

The committee also approved two separate proposals of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works to award a contract for the construction of two housing towers for police in Dhaka and Sylhet cities.

Of those, Padma Associates & Engineers Ltd won the contract at Tk 55.54 crore for the construction of a 15-story building tower at Sylhet Police Lines. 

Every floor of the tower will have 12 units—650sqft each-- while the works include internal sanitary and electric lines and underground water reservoir and other facilities.  

Besides, a joint venture of Hossain Construction (Pvt.) Ltd and Amanat Enterprise won the contract at Tk 63.50 crore for the construction of a 14-story housing tower with 2 basements in Gulshan area for police officials. 

The complex will have 48 flats, including two duplexes on two floors, and four units each having 2,200square feet.