Government to import 140,000 tonnes of fertilizer to meet national needs

The government will import a total of 140,000 tonnes of fertilizer to meet domestic needs.

Of the total quantity, around 30,000 tonnes of fertilizer will be imported by Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) while the remaining 110,000 tonnes of fertilizer will be imported by Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC).

The Advisory Committee on Public Procurement (ACGP), in a meeting chaired by Financial Advisor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, on Tuesday approved several proposals in this regard.

As per a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Industries, its subordinate agency BCIC will purchase 30,000 tonnes of granular urea fertilizer in bags from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company (Kafco) at a cost of Tk 117.09 crore, with each tonne costing Rs 325.25.

The Ministry of Agriculture has submitted three proposals from its subordinate agency, BADC, to import bulk fertilizers.

Among these imports, the BADC will import 30,000 tonnes of MOP fertilizer from JSC Foreign Economic Corporation ‘Prodintorg’, a Russian state-owned joint-stock company, under a state-to-state agreement at a cost of Tk 102.60 crore. Each tonne of fertilizer will cost $285.

Under a state-to-state agreement, BADC will import 40,000 tonnes of MOP fertilizer from Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) at a cost of Tk 136.80 crore, with each tonne costing $285.

BADC will import an additional 40,000 tonnes of DAP fertilizer under an inter-state agreement with OCP, Morocco, at a cost of Tk 280.80 crore. Each tonne of DAP fertilizer will cost $585.

The ACGP also approved a proposal by the Education Ministry to award contracts to different contractors to print and supply books for classes 1, 2 and 3 at a cost of Tk 147.97 crore.

The committee approved the tender proposals for 70 lots, out of 97 lots.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Economic Affairs Advisory Committee was held with Financial Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed.

At the meeting, the Immigration and Passports Department of the Home Ministry withdrew from the agenda a proposal to award a contract for printing and supply of 1.5 million machine readable passport (MRP) booklets and 1.5 million lamination sheets without competitive bidding.