Dhaka: Bangladesh will import 1.4 million tons of crude oil from Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi for the current fiscal year 2017-18 to meet the domestic requirement.

Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday approved two separate proposals placed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division in this regard.

Cabinet Division additional secretary Mustafizur Rahman informed that the bulk petroleum will be imported under the government-to-government contracts and about Tk. 4901 crore would be spent for the imports.

The committee, with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair, also approved a number of procurement proposals placed by different ministries.

A proposal of the Home Ministry to purchase two tag boats for the Coast Guard received the nod of the committee, reports the UNB.

Bangladesh Navy-operated Khulna Shipyard will build and supply the two tag boats at a cost of Tk. 5141.20 crore.

The committee gave nod to a proposal of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) to import 100,000 metric tons of granular bagged urea fertiliser on an emergency basis.

Of these, South Korean Posco Daewoo will supply 25,000 MT through Chittagong port and 25,000 MT through Mongla port while Potton Traders of Dhaka will supply the remaining 50,000 MT through Chittagong port.

Import of each metric ton of fertiliser through Chittagong port will cost $310 while the import of each metric ton of fertiliser through Mongla port will cost $319.50. The total import of 100,000 MT of fertiliser will cost Tk 259.13 crore.

The committee approved two proposals of Energy and Mineral Resources Division to procure some equipment and drilling works for Kashba-1 and Begumganj-3 gas wells under the Seedy Enhancement of Power and Energy Supply (Special) Act.

The committee also approved a cost extension proposal for rehabilitation works of Kalukhali-Vatiapara section of rail lines and new construction works of Kashiani-Gopalganj-Tungipara rail tracks.

The cost of the works was extended to Tk. 79.18 crore from the previous cost of Tk. 73.59 crore.

A proposal to appointment a consultant at a cost of Tk. 44.15 crore for operation and management (O&M) of e-GP system in Bangladesh under ‘Digitizing implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project’ received the committee’s nod.