Chinese firm to maintain, collect tolls at Bangabandhu Tunnel

China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Ltd will act as the service provider for ensuring maintenance and realizing tolls at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel in Chattogram with a cost of around Tk983.82 crore.

The approval came from the 34th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) this year held yesterday virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Sayeed Mahbub Khan said that the day's meeting approved a total of eight proposals.

He informed that following a proposal from the Bangladesh Bridges Authority under the Bridges Division, the CCGP meeting approved the proposal for appointing the Chinese company as the service provider for the country's maiden tunnel in the port city.

Mahbub said under the proposal, around 65 percent or around Tk656.99 crore will be provided to the CCCC in local currency while the rest of 35 percent or around Tk326.84 crore will be provided in foreign currency.

He said under the proposal, the portion of the payment to be made in US dollars has been specified.

The Cabinet Division Additional Secretary said that the day's CCGP meeting approved separate proposals for procuring 1.80 lakh metric tons of fertilizer and another 30,000 metric tons of phosphoric acid.

He said following a proposal from the Ministry of Industries, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will procure 30,000 metric tons of phosphoric acid from M/s Sun International FZE, UAE (local agent: M/s RK Enterprise, Dhaka) with a cost of around Tk215.15 crore where per ton phosphoric acid will cost $674.

Mahbub said BCIC would purchase 30,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE under the 5th lot with around Tk189.28 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $794.17.

Besides, the BCIC would procure 30,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia under the 13th lot with around Tk189.28 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $594.17 against the previous per ton price of $625.83.

The state-run corporation will also procure another 30,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from the same SABIC Agri-nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia with around Tk189.28 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $594.17 down from the previous price of $625.83.

Mahbub said Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture would procure 50,000 metric tons of MOP fertilizer from a Canadian company with around Tk416.54 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $788 down from the previous price of $821.

Apart from these, the BADC would also procure another 40,000 metric tons of DAP fertilizer from a Saudi company with a cost of around Tk308.78 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $725.25 against the previous price of $826.50.

Meanwhile, following a proposal from the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) under the Power Division, the package number GD-1: Lot 5 under the project for "Upgradation of power distribution system: Mymensingh Zone" has been awarded to the Ideal Electrical Enterprise Ltd Bangladesh with around Tk102.62 crore.