DHAKA, Oct 9, 2024 (BSS) – The government today approved separate proposals for procuring one cargo LNG, some 90,000 metric tons of fertilizer and 10,000 metric tons of lentil to meet the growing demand for such items.

The approvals came from the 7th meeting of the Adviser’s Council Committee on Government Purchase in this year held at the Cabinet Division Conference Room at Bangladesh Secretariat today.

Adviser to the interim government on the Ministries of Finance and Commerce Dr Salehuddin Ahmed chaired the meeting.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the Finance Adviser said in the meeting it was discussed that there would be no scarcity of essential items in the market as the government have approved a proposal for procuring lentil today.

Side by side, he said the meeting approved proposals for procuring LNG and fertilizer and thus these would help to meet energy crisis in the industries and supplement the agricultural activities.

The day’s purchase committee meeting gave in anticipation approval to a proposal from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division under which the Petrobangla would procure one cargo LNG from the spot market from M/S Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd Singapore with around Taka 657.13 crore where per MMBtu LNG would cost $13.93.

In response to a proposal from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) would procure some 30,000 metric tons of TSP fertilizer from OCP, SA, Morocco under state-level agreement with around Taka 149.40 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $415.

Following two separate proposal from the Ministry of Industries, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) would procure 30,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia under the 3rd lot with around Taka 128.22 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $356.17.

The BCIC in another consignment would procure some 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertilizer from KAFCO, Bangladesh under the 5th lot with around Taka 123.61 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $343.37.

Besides, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) would procure some 10,000 metric tons of lentil under local Open Tender Method (OTM) from M/S Payel Traders, 244, Khatunganj, Chattogram with around Taka 96.39 crore where per kg lentil would cost Taka 96.39.