B Mirror Report : The government on Wednesday approved the procurement of refined soybean oil and fertiliser, alongside the construction of new fertiliser warehouses, as part of efforts to ensure supply stability and strengthen distribution infrastructure.
The approvals were granted at a meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Government Purchase, chaired by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, held at the Cabinet Division conference room of the Bangladesh Secretariat, officials said.
Under the decisions, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) was authorised to procure 27.15 million litres of refined soybean oil from NSRIC Green Supplies of Canada at a total cost of Tk 3.57 billion. The per-litre price has been set at Tk 131.49.
The committee also approved the import of 30,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea fertiliser from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Ltd (KAFCO). The total cost of the fertiliser procurement has been fixed at Tk 1.49 billion, with a price of $405.25 per tonne.
To strengthen fertiliser storage and distribution capacity across the country, the committee approved the construction of two fertiliser godowns under the project titled “Construction of 34 Buffer Warehouses at Different Locations across the Country for Fertiliser Storage and Distribution.”
One warehouse, with a storage capacity of 10,000 tonnes, will be built in Faridpur at a cost of Tk 484.5 million. Another godown of the same capacity will be constructed in Gaibandha, costing Tk 473.5 million.
Officials said the new facilities are expected to improve fertiliser stock management, reduce distribution bottlenecks and ensure timely supply to farmers, particularly during peak agricultural seasons.
In a separate decision, the committee also approved the procurement of two large high-speed boats for the Bangladesh Coast Guard at a cost of Tk 895 million, aimed at enhancing maritime surveillance, rescue operations and coastal security.
The approvals reflect the government’s ongoing efforts to stabilise essential commodity supplies, strengthen agricultural support systems and enhance security infrastructure, officials added.
