Dailynewsun Desk:
The government will procure some 1.50 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines from China to meet the growing demand of vaccines in the country.
The approval came from the 19th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) of this year held today virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair, reports BSS.
Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Dr Sahida Akhter said that these 1.50 crore doses of vaccines would be procured from Sinopharm of China. “We’re hoping to procure 50 lakh doses of vaccines in each month of June, July and August.”
She also informed that the proposal was placed in the table before the day’s meeting.
Dr Sahida informed that in response to a proposal from the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), a seven-member Committee has been formed, headed by Finance Division Senior Secretary, to look into where necessary changes could be brought to the Public Procurement Act and the Public Procurement Rules.
She said the Committee would put forward its recommendations before the CCGP after revisiting the PPA and PPR.
The Cabinet Division additional secretary said that the meeting approved a proposal from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division under which BAPEX would take Services from Russian Gazprom to dig three wells in Bhola under turn-key method with a cost of around Taka 648.39 crore.
Answering to a question, the Finance Minister said Gazprom is a globally acclaimed company and hopefully this venture with BAPEX would become successful.
Replying to a question about the Bangladesh Bank’s move to lend $200 million to Sri Lanka from the foreign currency reserve, Kamal said he would explain the matter after the next CCGP meeting.
Replying to another question about the salient features of the next national budget for FY 22 to be placed in parliament on June 3, the Finance Minister said everyone would have to wait until the placing of budget in parliament on June 3.
He, whoever, said the main goal or target of the next budget would be to save the interests of the common people and the business community.
Kamal said the next budget is being framed after taking into consideration the interests of all sections of people, especially the lagging behind and marginal communities.
Meanwhile, Dr Sahida said the CCGP meeting today okayed a proposal from the Road Transport and Highways Division to appoint the joint venture of SMEC International Pty Ltd, Australia, Swedish National Road Consulting AB, Sweden, ACE Consultants Ltd, Bangladesh and BCL Associates Ltd, Bangladesh as consultants with around Taka 46.92 crore under the project for installing excel load control centers at the entrance of goods transportation on the important Highways.
Besides, another proposal from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism was approved under which the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh would procure CNS-ATM (communications, navigation and surveillance air traffic management) system and radar from Thales of France on G to G basis with around Taka 658.40 crore.
