M/S Total Energies Gas and Power Ltd of Switzerland will supply the cargo equivalent to 33.6 lakh MMBtu LNG with per unit costing $10.88. Finance minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali presided over the meeting at the secretariat, the first one under the new cabinet formed on January 11.

The approval means the government will import the third cargo for the current calendar year. The country has been importing LNG since 2018. The government brought in around 24 cargoes from the spot market to meet the gas demand in the recently concluded 2023, featured by the severe dollar shortage and high inflation.

The committee also approved eight proposals from the ministry of agriculture and ministry of industries for importing fertiliser. Under the proposals 80 thousand tonnes of diammonium phosphate will be imported from Saudi Arabia and Morocco. Per tonne of DoP will cost $589 for 40 thousand tonnes from Saudi Arabia and per tonne of DoP will cost $547 for 40 thousand tonnes from Morocco. Morrocco will also supply 30 thousand tonnes of triple super phosphate with per tonne at $386 and Russia will supply 30 thousand tonnes of muriate of potash with per tonne costing at $307. Other four proposals were linked to purchasing 1.2 lakh tonnes of urea from Qatar, Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company Limited (Bangladesh) and Saudi Arabia with per tonne ranging from $313 to $316.

Qatar and Karnaphuli will supply 30 thousand tonnes each, while Saudi Arabia will supply 30 thousand tonnes in two separate consignments. Three proposals for purchasing essentials for Trading Corporation of Bangladesh were also approved by the committee. The TCB will buy 1.2 crore litre of rice bran oil from Majumdar Products Ltd, Majumdar Bran Oil Mills Ltd, and Ali Natural Oil Mills and Agro Industries Ltd with per litre costing Tk 158. The remaining proposals were linked to purchasing 20 thousand tonnes of lentil under two separate deals. Uma Expo Pvt. Ltd of India will provide 10 thousand tonnes of lentil with per kilogram costing Tk 101.13, while Roy Agro Food Products Ltd of Bogura and Nabil Naba Foods Ltd of Dhaka will supply 10 thousand tonnes of lentil with per kilogram costing Tk 105.45.

News Link: LNG, fertiliser dominate purchase meeting