BPC to purchase 150,000 metric tonnes of marine fuel

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase has approved three proposals including two separate ones for procuring a total of 150,000 metric tonnes of marine fuel.

The approval came from the 19th meeting of the committee held on Wednesday virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair, reports BSS.

Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Kamal said that Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) will purchase 75,000 metric tonnes of marine fuel from ENOC Singapore Pte Ltd. of Singapore with a cost of Taka 2.22 billion by December 2020.

The BPC under another proposal will procure 75,000 metric tonnes of marine fuel from PTT International Trading Pte Ltd. Singapore with a cost of Taka 2.17 billion.

The finance minister said the government is procuring such marine fuel on G2G basis since it is cost effective and the international price of such fuel is now less.

Asked whether the government will adjust the fuel oil price in the wake of price fall in international market, Kamal said that related ministry would look into the matter.

He said even the Prime Minister herself can take decision on this matter when the proper time comes.

The minister said the purchase committee meeting approved another proposal for printing, binding and supplying text books of Bangla and English versions of class 3, 4 and 5 for the 2021 calendar year free of cost under 1-98 lots.

He said that the lowest responsive bidder as recommended by the TEC would supply some 7,20,09,373 textbooks with a cost of Taka 1.32 billion.

The finance minister said the government distributes text books free of cost every year in a festive mood and it also aims to distribute text books in such fashion in the next year.

He informed that the meeting rejected the proposal for raising the security money for the bidders and now it will remain the same.

“Hopefully we’ll get quality text books in time maintaining qualitative standard and this is our expectations,” Kamal added.