Gazipur-Airport BRT corridor: Bus procurement problem yet to be resolved

Though the procedure to select a contractor through a fresh tender was completed in August last year, legal complications related to purchasing buses for the Gazipur-Airport bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor have not been resolved yet.

Sources said the board of the Dhaka BRT Company Limited (Dhaka BRT) has not approved the evaluation committee report on buying diesel-driven 137 buses for the 20-kilometre corridor due to the legal complexities.

They said that no progress could be made to finalise the bus-procurement procedure as the first tender was cancelled amid allegations of corruption or a politically motivated initiative.

Taking into cognisance of the corruption allegations, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) sought all documents of the first tender and held a hearing of the authorities concerned.

It has started working on the allegations apparently based on newspaper reports or a complaint lodged by the lowest bidder of the first tender, sources added.

Zhongtong Bus Holding Company Ltd. lodged the complaint after the company board cancelled the first tender early 2024 based on the tender-evaluation committee findings - three lowest bidders were of the same company or had shares in the respective companies.

The tender was floated on January 15, 2023 to purchase 137 diesel-run buses, deviating from its original plan of operating articulated buses and later electric buses for the BRT corridor.

Officials said the BRT Company floated a fresh tender on April 24, 2024 after getting a Court order against a writ petition, claiming the bids were invited properly following the procedure of the Public Procurement Rules (PPR).

The Chinese company tried to get justice in its favour from the Supreme Court against the writ, but was later rejected. Earlier, the CPTU also rejected the company's plea when it lodged a complaint after the board's decision to reject the tender.

The second tender was floated on April 24, 2024 and its validation period has been extended for not resolving the complications, sources said.

However, officials said, the board approval has been delayed as the BRT corridor development project tenure ended and its extension is yet to be approved.

"There is no such complication, but the ACC is yet to give any verdict though all the required documents were shared with it and the hearing was completed," said an official, preferring not to be named.

Another official pointed out that approving the evaluation report would not be useful as the BRT project is yet to be completed and the project's future is yet to be decided due to the expiry of its tenure in December last without an extension of time.

However, the Roads and Highway Department has been working to revise the project for the fourth time, proposing a significant rise in costs and extension of time. Implementation of only 3-4 per cent of the project work remained pending.

Taken 12 years ago with wrong planning and design, the interim government is now willing to complete the problematic project despite having skepticism over its success, officials said.

Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Dr Sheikh Moinuddin has taken up the project after his joining last month.

The cost of the project, taken under the Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project, more than doubled to Tk 42.86 billion from the initial estimate of Tk 20.38 billion.

smunima@yahoo.com