Former Member of Parliament and central leader of the Awami League, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, has been accused of controlling a hundred-crore taka vaccine trade at the Department of Livestock.
To favour a particular company in securing the tender for urgently needed vaccines in four districts, the terms and conditions of the tender were repeatedly amended. As a result, thousands of animals in these districts have become endangered and diseased.
Affected parties have already sent letters to the Fisheries and Livestock Adviser, urging the cancellation of the 'special benefit condition' in the tender due to these irregularities.
It has been reported that a tender was called under the Department of Livestock for the procurement of FMD vaccines, reference: Project Director's Tender No. 33.01.0000.831.07.036.24-340. The tender was called under the FMD and PPR disease prevention project, managed by the project director. Initially, the last date for submitting the tender was August 23.
However, to benefit a particular company (linked to former MP and Awami League leader Bahauddin Nasim), the tender was amended four times. Among these, two extensions were granted for preparing the necessary documentation for submission, while the third and fourth extensions were made to change the specifications and terms in favour of the company (23/06/24, 03/07/24, 18/07/24, 12/08/24), with the final submission date now set for August 27.
Although these vaccines are urgently needed to prevent FMD in goats, sheep, cattle, and buffaloes in four districts (Manikganj, Sirajganj, Pabna, and Bhola), the entire tender process has been delayed repeatedly to serve the interests of a particular company.
It has been revealed that the favoured company, Techno Drugs, lacks adequate experience. To accommodate this, non-veterinary pharmaceuticals/biologics have been included. While Techno Drugs does not have experience in supplying veterinary medicines/vaccines, they do have experience in supplying biologics (condoms/Maya pills) to the Directorate General of Family Planning. Additionally, according to OIE regulations, the shelf life of the vaccine should be a minimum of 24 months from the production date, but the shelf life of the vaccine produced by this company is only 18 months. To accommodate this, the required shelf life has been reduced from 24 months to 18 months through an amendment, which is considered to be deliberate.
There has been a demand to cancel this irregular tender and open it up for everyone's participation by modifying several conditions. General importers have sent a letter to the adviser expressing these demands.
