Consultancy cost up by Tk301 crore

The consultation cost for the Padma Bridge Rail Link project has increased by Tk 301 crore as the government is extending the contract period of the advisory firm appointed for the project.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) has approved a proposal in this regard on Wednesday during a meeting presided over by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.

The CCGP approved a total of 14 proposals on the day, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Sayeed Mahbub Khan briefed journalists after the meeting.

“The Bangladesh Army, in collaboration with BRTC and BUET –the consultancy firm for the Padma Bridge Rail Link project under the Ministry of Railways- has been granted an additional Tk 301.42 crore to extend their contract until May 2024,” he said.

Work of the rail link project began in 2018 after the project was approved in 2016. Initially, authorities planned to inaugurate both the rail line and the Padma bridge at the same time. But the plan was not realised as the rail link project remains incomplete.

The Padma Bridge has been built by the Bridge Division, while Railway authorities are responsible for ensuring train movement through the bridge.

For this purpose, a 169 km long railway line from Dhaka to Jessore via Padma Bridge is being laid down while a separate project is going on to build stations and other infrastructure. China is financing this project under the Government to Government (G to G) method.

Initially the Padma Bridge and the rail link projects were planned to be completed by 2022 at a cost of some Tk 35,000 crore. After extension, the total cost of implementing the projects now stands at Tk 39,247 crore.

Sugar from Turkey at Tk 82.89 per kg

The CCGP on Wednesday approved the purchase of 12,500 tonnes of sugar from Turkey at Tk 82.89 per kg to ensure steady supply of sugar at an affordable price through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).

Under the proposal of the commerce ministry, the total cost of buying sugar has been estimated at Tk 64.20 crore, which is Tk 6 lower than the previous purchase.

4 cargoes of LNG from Singapore-US

The purchase committee has also approved a proposal placed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division for the state-owned Petrobangla to import four cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Singapore and the United States.

As per the proposal, three cargoes of LNG will be bought from Singapore at a cost of Tk 1,497,27,08,477. Of these, two cargoes will be imported from Singapore’s Vital Asia Pvt Ltd and one cargo from Gunvo Singapore Pvt Ltd.

Besides, another consignment of 33.60 lakh MMBtu LNG will be imported from Excelerate Energy LP of the United States at a cost of Tk 516.49 crore.

2,65,000 tonnes of fertilisers

The government has decided to purchase a total of 2,65,000 tonnes of urea, TSP, DAP, phosphoric acid and muriate-of-potash fertilisers in seven lots under the industries ministry and the agriculture ministry.

The purchase of fertilisers under the proposals will cost the government Tk 1,193.45 crore. The fertiliser will be purchased from Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company (Kafco) as well as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Tunisia and Morocco.

Besides, another 30,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser will be purchased from Saudi Arabia in separate lots at a cost of Tk 105.02 crore.