Chattogram port to get 15 gantry cranes
The cabinet committee approved a proposal to buy 1.5 lakh tonnes of boiled rice and 50,000 tonnes of atap rice
The shipping ministry is going to add 15 gantry cranes to the yards and terminals of Chattogram Port, the main seaport in Bangladesh, to speed up the import-export activities.
The Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement has approved a proposal to purchase these cranes from China and the United Arab Emirates at a cost of Tk374 crore.
Besides, the committee approved a proposal to buy 1.5 lakh tonnes of boiled rice and 50,000 tonnes of atap rice.
Of this, one lakh tonnes of boiled and 50,000 tonnes of atap rice will be purchased by the government from India.
Additional Secretary of the Cabinet Division Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal shared the information after the online meeting of the committee chaired by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Wednesday.
Abu Saleh said the committee has approved a proposal to import four key gantry cranes at a cost of about Tk244 crore under the equipment procurement project for use in various yards and terminals of the Chattogram port. Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Ltd of China will supply the cranes.
In addition, the cabinet committee has approved the proposal of importing five rubber tyred gantry cranes from Trans Gulf Port Cranes LLC in the United Arab Emirates at a cost of Tk59 crore for the Chattogram Container Terminal under the Chattogram Port Authority and six rubber tyred gantry crane from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Ltd at a cost of Tk71 crore for the New Mooring Container Terminal.
Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said the government would spend Tk522 crore on importing one lakh tonnes of non-basmati boiled and 50,000 tonnes of atap rice from India.
The rice will be supplied by the National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India.
He said the Food Department would import 50,000 tonnes of atap rice from Singapore-based Agrocorp International at a cost of Tk173 crore and 50,000 tonnes of boiled rice from ETC Processing Pvt Ltd of India at a cost of Tk171 crore.
At the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, a proposal to purchase equipment, medicines and other items worth Tk10 crore was urgently approved to provide services to Covid-19 patients at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.