Cabinet committee nods to proposal for purchasing 4 million MRP booklets

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a proposal, in principle, for procuring four million machine-readable passport (MRP) booklets and four million lamination foils in the Direct Procurement Method to meet the growing demand for passports. 

The approval came from a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, held virtually on Wednesday, with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

The Department of Immigration and Passports under the Ministry of Home Affairs will procure the MRP booklets and lamination foils.

Briefing reporters, virtually, after the meeting, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said the MRP booklets and lamination foils will be procured based on a "demand calculation."

Answering a question, he said, "There would have been no need to use more MRPs had the government been able to fully launch e-passports in the country. There is no denying that there was an impact of Covid-19 in this regard." 

The Cabinet Division additional secretary also said the 31st meeting of Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) this year was also held on Wednesday, virtually, with the finance minister in the chair, where it gave approval for four proposals – all from the Power Division. 

Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said the CCGP meeting approved a proposal of the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) for awarding the contract for installing 17,040 kilometres of the conductor to the lowest bidder Rangpur Metal Industries Limited (unit 3) at a cost of around Tk47.10 crore. 

The meeting also okay-ed a BREB proposal for procuring 35 kilometres of 11kv and 33kv underground cables from the lowest bidder BBS Cables Ltd for around Tk16.52 crore. 

Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said the CCGP meeting approved another of BREB's proposals for procuring 295 kilometres of the conductor from the lowest bidder Partex Cables Limited at a cost of around Tk2.56 crore. 

Additionally, the meeting approved a proposal of the Bangladesh Power Development Board to procure retail machinery and expert services from M/S BHEL-GE Gas Turbine Services Private Limited, India for ensuring the operations and maintenance of the Gas Turbine Unit 1 and 2 of the Shahzibazar 330MW Combined Cycle Power Plant, in Habiganj, at a cost of around Tk60.90 crore.