The Adviser's Council Committee on Government Procurement approved separate proposals for procuring some two cargoes of LNG and 1.30 lakh tones of fertilizer to meet the country's growing demand.
The meeting held at the Cabinet Division Conference Room in Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday was presided over by finance and commerce advisor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed .
Briefing reporters after the meeting, the finance adviser said it is the peak time for the government to ensure energy security. "For this we're importing LNG to meet growing demand," he said.
In this regard, he said the meeting approved a good number of procurement proposals for importing LNG and fertilizer. "The imported LNG will facilitate industrial operations as well as trade and commerce," he added.
Dr Salehuddin said there would be no crisis for conducting agricultural activities while the procurement move aims at addressing the energy demand and boosting the stockpile of fertilizer.
Answering a question, the finance adviser said the government is trying to minimize the energy crisis and thus facilitating trade and commerce activities.
He said the government has taken all necessary measures for keeping the stockpile and supply of fertilizer at a satisfactory level so that agricultural production is not hampered by any means.
He also directed the concerned government ministries to ensure keeping supply of necessary essential items like lentil, onion, potatoes, sugar, and soybean oil in the market.
Salehuddin said the meeting approved a total of seven proposals. He said in response to two separate proposals from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, the government approved the procurement of one cargo LNG from the spot market from M/S Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd at around Taka 640.16 crore as per MMBtu LNG costs $13.57.
In another proposal, the government approved procurement of one cargo LNG from M/S Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd at around Taka 649.59 crore where per MMBtu LNG would cost $13.77.
Both LNG cargos would be procured from the spot market among Master Sale and Purchase Agreement (MSPA) signing companies and firms.
Besides, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) would procure 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea fertilizer from SABIC Agri Nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia at a cost of around Taka 124.68 crore as per ton fertilizer costs $346.33.
The BCIC would also procure another consignment of 30,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea fertilizer from KAFCO, at a cost of around Taka 120.78 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $335.50.
Apart from these, following two separate proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture BADC would procure 30,000 tonnes of TSP fertilizer from OCP, SA, Morocco under state-level agreement at a cost of around Taka 149.40 crore as per ton fertilizer would costs $415.
The BADC would purchase another consignment of 40,000 tonnes of DAP fertilizer from MA'ADEN, Saudi Arabia at a cost of around Taka 278.88 crore while per ton fertilizer would costs $581.
