Govt to procure 30.65 lakh tonnes of fuel oil

The government has approved separate proposals for procuring 30.65 lakh metric tons of fuel oil, 90 lakh litres of edible oil and 55,000 metric tons of fertilizer to meet the growing demand of the country.

The approval came from the 42nd meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Government Purchase (CCGP) this year, held on Wednesday virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Cabinet Division additional secretary Sayeed Mahbub Khan informed that following three separate proposals from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) would procure some 8 lakh metric tons of Arabian Light Crude (ALC) non-refined fuel oil from Saudi ARAMCO, Saudi Arabia for the current year with around Tk 6,407.36 crore.

The BPC will also procure some 7 lakh metric tons of non-refined fuel oil from ADNOC, Abu Dhabi for the current year with around Tk 5,808.52 crore while the BPC would purchase 15.65 lakh metric tons of refined fuel oil for the January-June period of the current year through international quotation with around Tk 13,600 crore.

Mahbub said following two separate proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) would procure some 30,000 metric tons of TSP fertilizer under a state-level agreement under 2nd lot from OCP, SA, Morocco with around Tk 132.63 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $401.

In another proposal, the BADC will procure some 25,000 metric tons of TSP fertilizer under a state-level agreement under the 4th lot from GCT, Tunisia with around Tk 109.15 crore, per ton fertilizer costing $396.

Following three separate tabled proposals from the Ministry of Commerce, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) would procure some 40 lakh litres of rice bran oil from Mozumder Products and Bran Oil Ltd with around Tk 63.40 crore, with per litre oil costing Tk 158.5.

The TCB will procure some 50 lakh litres of soybean oil from Bashundhara Multi Foods Products Ltd with around Tk 78.61 crore with per litre oil costing Tk 157.22 while the TCB will also purchase 12,500 metric tons of lentil from Nabil and Naba Foods Ltd and SR Corporation with around Tk 104 crore where per kg lentil would cost Tk 104.

The Cabinet Division additional secretary informed that the day's CCGP meeting approved a proposal from the Power Division under which the tariff for the proposed 100MW wind-based power plant in Satkhira district has been approved.

Under the 'No electricity no payment' method, the government would have to provide around Tk 5,687.08 crore to Sustainable Energy International Ltd for a 20-year period with a tariff of Tk 13.525 per kilowatt hour of electricity.

In another proposal, the tariff for the proposed 10MW solar power plant to be set up at Noakhali Sadar Upazila has been approved.

Also, under the 'No electricity no payment' method, the government would have to provide around Tk 357.12 crore to the Consortium of Infraco Asia Development Pte Ltd, Greencells GmbH and Global Greengen Ltd for a 20-year period with a tariff of Tk 11.017 for per kilowatt hour electricity.

The day's CCGP meeting also approved three proposals from the Local Government Division and also three cost variation proposals from two ministries and one division.

/KN/