The Cabinet Purchase Committee at a meeting here on Wednesday approved a total of 21 proposals, including the import of 100,000mt wheat and 50,000mt non-bashmoti rice, reports UNB.
The meeting, held with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair, gave the approval amid the growing concern over the possible food grain shortage due to the loss of crops in countrywide flooding.
The government has already withdrawn duty on rice import and also declared some banking facilities to encourage the import of food grains in the private sector.
As per the cabinet body's approval, the Food Ministry imports the food grains through international quotations.
Of these, Dubai-based Phoenix Global company won the contract to supply 50,000 mt non-bashmoti at a total cost of Tk 170.61 crore as per metric tonne of rice was quoted at $ $411.11.
Of the wheat, Aston company will supply 50,000 mt of wheat at a cost of Tk 104.16 crore as per metric tonne was quoted at $258 while another foreign company Agro Crop will supply 50,000 mt wheat at a total cost of Tk 103.49 as pere metric tonne of what was quoted at $249.31.
The Cabinet body approved another import proposal of the Energy Division to import 165,120 mt of diesel import from Indian Shiliguri to Bangladesh's Parbatipur through rail wagon. The premium for per metric tonne diesel was set at $5.50.
The other proposals which received approval include contract for Gazipur-Airport Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) project, procurement of six rail-gantry crane for Chittagong port, contract for cyclone shelter construction in Laxmipur, contract award for construction of dual-gauge railway line from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar via Ramu, and Ramu to Gundum near Myanmar border.
The Cabinet purchase body also approved three separate proposals for the import of a total of 90,000 metric tonnes of fartiliser from three countries under government-to-government agreements.
Of these, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) will import 30,000 mt MOP fartiliser from Belarusian Potash Company while it will import 30,000 from Russia and the remaining 30,000 MOP fertiliser from Canadian commercial corporation.