CCGP nods to appointing contractors

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) has approved the proposal for the allocation of funds and appointment of contractors for four separate projects for the restoration of navigability in Old Brahmaputra, Dharla, Tulai, and Punarbhaba rivers.

“The proposal was approved at a CCGP meeting at the Secretariat on Wednesday with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair,” Additional Secretary of the Cabinet Division Sayeed Mahbub Khan told the journalists after the meeting.

He said the total cost of four projects for the improvement and restoration of navigability of the Old Brahmaputra, Dharla, Tulai, and Punarbhaba rivers will be Tk 336,23,52,991. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) under the Ministry of Shipping is supervising these projects.

Mahbub Khan said one purchase proposal of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works was also approved in the meeting. The total allocation for the five projects is Tk 446,96,52,991 and the entire amount will be spent from the public treasury.

Inaugural preparation of Ashrayan-2 project

The additional secretary said procurement of various services for the inaugural ceremony of handing over the houses of the third and fourth phases of Ashrayan-2 project through the direct purchase method has been approved in principle by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

In reply to a query over why the direct procurement method was approved instead of open tender, he said, “I don’t know anything about it.”

Mahbub Khan said, “This is an ancillary activity of Ashrayan project. It is related to the arrangements that are made for the inaugural ceremony of handing over the houses.”

A number of 57,737 houses will be handed over soon to landless and homeless people in the third and fourth phases of Ashrayan-2 project under the Prime Minister’s Office.