Use of e-GP grows rapidly in Bangladesh: IMED Secretary

The use of Electronic Government Procurement, a digitised technical system, is growing rapidly in Bangladesh making government procurement easier and faster ensuring transparency.

Secretary of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) Pradip Ranjan Chakraborty made the observation while virtually addressing a Government Tenderers’ Forum Workshop for Rangpur this afternoon as the chief guest.

The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) of the IMED under the Ministry of Planning organised the workshop virtually under its Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project (DIMAPP).

Facilitated by Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP), the World Bank extended support in arranging the event with participation of 70 representatives and officials from procuring entities, tenderers, banks and media.

Director General of CPTU Mohammed Shoheler Rahman Chowdhury presided over the workshop while its Director Masud Akhter Khan delivered a welcome speech.

Senior Procurement Specialist of World Bank ANM Mustafizur Rahman, Superintendent of Police of Rangpur Biplob Kumar Sarker and Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Md Golam Rabbani spoke as special guests.

The IMED Secretary highlighted the importance of government procurement in achieving the SDGs by 2030 and said that sustainability of public procurement is needed as it is mentioned in the ongoing SDGs.

“To make the e-GP system sustainable, successful implementation of the Public Procurement Rules (PPR) is crucial for timely completion of development projects to increase the rate of economic growth,” he said.

The role of public procurement in smooth implementation of development projects is very essential as expenditure in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) is increasing every year.

“It is also very vital to have good governance in public procurement to establish complete transparency and accountability through bringing all procurements under the digitised e-GP system,” he said.

To attain the goals, good governance should be established in the procurement process through ensuring proper monitoring of procurement laws and regulations and its efficient implementation.

“For this, it is important to establish a good relationship between the government entities or buyers and bidders or contractors or suppliers in the light of mutual trust and related rules,” the IMED Secretary said.

He said, “We will ensure proper use of money in government procurement. People have the right to know about the use of their money. We are giving them information about public procurement,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said a high level committee has almost completed their works for launching a zone-based uniform rate schedule of construction materials for all procuring entities soon across the country.

The CPTU has launched a citizen portal on public procurement. Currently, e-GP has made government procurement much easier and faster.

Senior Deputy Director of BCCP Khadija Bilkis delivered a presentation on ‘Government and Tenderers’ Forum’ in the workshop moderated by Assistant Director of BCCP Badal Halder.

The CPTU Director General Shoheler Rahman Chowdhury said standard implementation of government procurement agreements is a big challenge.

“We need to identify problems and overcome those involving all stakeholders. The procuring entities will ensure the receiving of quality works while the tenderers will implement works by maintaining quality and standards,” he said.

Rahman said major reforms in public procurement have already been made through popularizing digitised e-GP in Bangladesh resulting in increasing efficiency, transparency and competition in public procurement.

“We are now offering learning sessions and promising e-GP training for registered bidders in 250 batches with 30 participants in each. We have launched Citizen Portal on Public Procurement too,” he added.