Govt to procure 33.60 lakh MMBtu LNG, 2.40 lakh tonnes of fertiliser

The government today approved separate proposals for procuring some 33.60 lakh MMBtu LNG and 2.40 lakh tonnes of fertiliser alongside approving power tariffs for two solar-based power plants.

The approvals came from the 41st meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) this year held today virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, cabinet division additional secretary Sayeed Mahbub Khan said the day's meeting approved a total of 17 proposals.

He said following separate proposals from the Power Division, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will procure power from Consortium of Renewable Energy UK Ltd; Badal Construction Ltd. and G-Tech Solution Ltd for a 20-year term from the proposed 100MW solar-based power plant at Basail upazila in Tangail with around Tk3,561.60 crore where the per kilowatt hour electricity would cost Tk10.99.

Mahbub said the BPDB would also procure electricity from the Consortium of KAI Bangladesh Aluminium Ltd; and Altech Aluminium Industries Ltd for a 20-year term from the proposed 100MW solar-based power plant at Cox's Bazar sadar upazila with around Tk3,556.80 crore where the per kilowatt hour electricity would cost Tk10.98.

He informed that Petroangla under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division would procure 33.60 lakh MMBtu LNG as the first shipment in 2024 from the spot market from M/S TotalEnergies Gas & Power Ltd. Switzerland with around Tk691.73 crore.

The day's CCGP meeting approved another proposal from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division under which the draft of the Terminal Use Agreement and Implementation Agreement to be signed between Petrobangla and Summit Oil and Shipping Company Ltd.

Under the proposed agreement, the government would provide $3 lakh daily fee as re-gas charge to the terminal company for setting up the 3rd floating LNG terminal at Moheshkhali in Cox's Bazar having daily capacity of 600 MMCF.

Mahbub said following three separate proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) would procure a total of 1.20 lakh metric tons of DAP fertiliser in three separate equal lots from OCP, SA, Morocco under state-level agreement with a total cost of around Tk753.03 crore.

He said in five separate proposals from the Ministry of Industries, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) would procure 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertiliser from KAFCO, Bangladesh with around Tk104.92 crore, 10,000 tonnes of Phosphoric Acid for TSPCL, Chattogram from M/S Sun International FZE, UAE with around Tk64.60 crore, 30,000 metric tonnes of bulk granular urea fertiliser from Fertiglobe Distribution Ltd, UAE with around Tk108.95 crore, 30,000 tonnes of bulk prield urea fertiliser from Muntajat, Qatar with around Tk108.95 crore and another 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea fertiliser from SABIC Agri Nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia with around Tk108.95 crore.

The day's CCGP meeting approved three other proposals from the Power Division and one from the Local Government Division.

The meeting approved a proposal in principle from the Power Division for procuring electricity under the Direct Procurement Method (DPM) from Nepal through using the Indian grid.