Govt to procure 50,000 MTs non-basmati rice, 40,000 MTs fertiliser

The government on Thursday approved separate proposals for procuring some 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice, 40,000 tonnes of DAP fertiliser, and 10,000 metric tonnes of phosphoric acid to meet the growing demands of the country.

The approvals came from the eighth meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase this year, held today at the Cabinet Division Conference Room at Bangladesh Secretariat today with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair. The day’s purchase committee meeting approved a total of 12 proposals.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the finance adviser said that a good number of proposals were approved on Thursday, including the import of rice, fertiliser, the construction of fertiliser godowns, and the construction of roads and bridges.

Regarding the procurement-related proposals on Matarbari Port development, he said that it is an integrated project where offshore port facilities and power supply are being ensured while the instruments would be of high quality.

Following a proposal from the Ministry of Food, the Directorate General of Food would procure 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati boiled rice through international quotation for the current fiscal year (FY25) from M/S Bagadiya Brothers Private Limited, India with around Tk 2.65 billion where per tonne rice would cost $434.55.

In response to another proposal from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) would procure 40,000 tonnes of DAP fertiliser under the 3rd lot under state-level agreement with MA’ADEN, Saudi Arabia with around Tk 2.99 billion where per tonne fertiliser would cost $614.50.

In response to another proposal from the Ministry of Industries, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) would procure some 10,000 tonnes of phosphoric acid through international open tender from Guangxi Pengyue Eco-Technology Co Ltd, China with around Tk 768.6 million with per tonne phosphoric acid costing $630.

The day’s meeting also approved two separate proposals for constructing two fertiliser godowns at Manikganj and Munshiganj with around Tk 1.20 billion while another two fertiliser godowns at Jashore and Narail with around Tk 1.17 billion.

Besides, there separate procurement proposals were approved for implementing different packages under the JICA-funded Matarbari Port Development (2nd revised) project.