Govt to import 12,500 MT of sugar from US

The government will import 12,500 metric tonnes (MT) of sugar and 220,000 MT of fertliser to meet the domestic requirements.

Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in a meeting on Wednesday approved a number of proposals in this regard. Finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting held virtually, reports UNB.

According to a proposal of the Commerce Ministry, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will import the sugar from Accentuate Technology Inc., USA (Local Agent: OMC Ltd., Dhaka) through an international open tender system at total cost of Tk 660.27 million with per kilogram (kg) at Tk 82.85.

Additional secretary to the Cabinet Division, Sayeed Mahbub Khan, who briefed reporters about the Cabinet body meeting, said while approving the proposal the issue of the Prime Minister's instruction not to import any goods from any country which imposed sanction on Bangladesh was not discussed in the meeting.

The committee approved two separate proposals of the Industries Ministry to import a total of 60,000 MT of urea fertilizer and 10,000 MT of phosphoric acid by its subordinate body Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC).

Of these, 30,000 MT of bagged granular urea will be procured from Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company Limited (KAFCO) at cost of Tk 1.20 billion with per MT at USD 371.25 while another 30,000 MT bulk granular urea fertiliser will be imported from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia at a cost of Tk 1.06 billion with per MT price at USD 327.33.

The BCI will import 10,000 MT of phosphoric acid at Tk 600.95 million from Sun International FZE, UAE (Local Agent: M/s Agro Industrial Input, Dhaka) for TSP Complex Limited, Chittagong. Each MT of acid will cost USD 566.50.

The CCGP approved a total of six proposals of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), placed by the Agriculture Ministry, for importing a total of 160,000 MT of different types of fertilizers.

Of these, the BADC will import 40,000 MT of DAP fertilisers from MA'ADEN, Saudi Arabia at a cost Tk 2.29 billion.

It will import 30,000 MT of TSP fertiliser from OCP, S.A. of Morocco at a cost Tk 1.26 billion, with each MT price at USD 391.50, under the state level contract while 40,000 MT of DAP fertiliser will be imported from the same company of Morocco at a cost of Tk 2.33 billion with per MT price at USD 541.5.

The BADC will import 50,000 MT of Muriate of Potash (MOP) fertiliser from the Canadian Commercial Corporation under the state-level contract at a cost of Tk 2.25 billion, with per MT price at USD 418.

The CCGP approved a proposal of the Local Government Division to extend the cost of the consultant by Tk 110.1 million for its project "Water Supply and Sanitation in 23 Municipalities of Bangladesh (1st Revised)" being implemented by the Department of Public Health Engineering.

Joint Venture of (1) Ranhill, (2) Farhat and (3) DDC had been appointed as consultants for the project.