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Govt tough against tender manipulation


Published : 05 Nov 2019 09:27 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 09:09 PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday warned government officials involved in tender manipulation, instructing ministries concerned not to award government construction contracts to the same companies. She said, “You must remain alert so that the same big construction companies will not be awarded contract for development work. The tender process will have to be completed through the central procurement technical unit.  In this regard, if it is needed, you will have to check, crosscheck and scrutinise the rules and regulations.”

“The Prime Minister asked me and the secretary of Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division Abul Monsur Faizullah to oversee the matter,” said Planning Minister MA Mannan quoting Sheikh Hasina, while briefing reporters after the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting on Tuesday.

“The Prime Minister also asked all ministries and divisions to award contracts to new construction companies, so that fresh construction firms will get work. You will have to refrain from awarding contracts to big and certain companies which were already awarded contracts on several projects,” quoting the prime minister, Mannan said.   

“The Prime Minister told the meeting that newcomers should be given a chance to work. The authority concerned should construct cable strength bridge in small village rivers across the country for smooth river flow. Due to installation of pillars for constructing of bridges over rivers, it creates obstacles in river flow,” the minister also said.

The Premier at the meeting asked the concerned executing agencies to implement their projects speedily maintaining quality within the stipulated time frame, Mannan added. Besides, the Premier underscored the need for constructing new roads carefully as the present government is eager to upgrade all the inter-district roads to four-lanes and improve regional highways, Mannan also said.

The ECNEC approved six projects worth Tk 3,449.05-crore including Physical Protection System (PPS) Project to Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the minister said. The approval came from the ECNEC meeting at NEC conference room with its Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

“Six projects were approved involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 4,447.76 crore,” he also said. Of the cost, Tk 4,439.86 crore will come from the government exchequer while the rest Tk 7.90 crore, from the organization’s own funds, Mannan said, adding that of the six projects, five are new while one is revised.

The Nuclear Security and Physical Protection System Cell and Bangladesh Army, Army Headquarters, GS Section (coordination) will implement the project by March 2023 from October 2019. He said, the experts concerned from Bangladesh Army in cooperation with their counterparts from the Russian Federation will implement the project.

The main activities of the project include ensuring security to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant through implementing the physical protection system alongside creating a supportive environment for generating nuclear power in a safe and protected manner. The main project operations include some 300 acres of land acquisition, 1,214,678 cubic metres of land development, public works for security and physical protection system.

The ECNEC has also approved– Jashore (Rajarhat)-Monirampur-Keshobpur-Chuknagar Regional Highway Development worth Tk 366.28 crore, construction of 391.34 meter Muhuri Bridge and 50.12 meter Fazilaghat Bridge worth Tk 71.38 crore, Road Development Project from Ekotabazar to BNS Sheikh Hasina at Cox’s Bazar worth Tk 361.22 crore, Construction of Parjatan Bhaban at Agargaon, 1st revised worth Tk 79.01 crore and protecting both sides of River Surma in Dashgram, Mahtabpur and Rajapur Pargana areas under Sylhet Sadar and Biswanath Upazilas worth Tk 120.82 crore.