The Bangladesh government has decided to import an additional 50,000 tons of non-basmati boiled rice from India to maintain national food security. The rice will be procured through an international open tender, with the purchase price set at 55.06 Bangladeshi Taka per kilogram. The total cost for importing the 50,000 tons of rice will be approximately 275 crore 30 lakh 40 thousand Taka.

This decision was approved by the Government Procurement Advisory Committee following a proposal from the Ministry of Food. The approval was granted during a meeting held on Tuesday (January 7), chaired by Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed.

Previously, the Government Procurement Advisory Committee approved the import of 50,000 tons of non-basmati boiled rice from India on December 4 and 18, 2024. The price per kilogram for the rice was set at 56.12 Taka on December 4, and 54.80 Taka on December 18.

According to sources from the meeting, the committee has now given the green light for the purchase of 50,000 tons of non-basmati boiled rice under Package 5 for the fiscal year 2024-25. This import is part of the government's broader plan to import 600,000 tons of rice through international sources for state emergencies and public welfare, as approved by the Economic Affairs Committee.

Following the open tender, six bids were submitted. After reviewing all the bids, the Procurement Evaluation Committee recommended the lowest bidder, India's M/s Bagadia Brothers Private Ltd, to supply the rice. The cost of importing the 50,000 tons of rice will amount to 2.29 million USD, or 275 crore 30 lakh 40 thousand Taka in Bangladeshi currency, with a per-kilogram purchase price of 55.06 Taka.

Additionally, through international open tenders, agreements have already been signed to import 200,000 tons of non-basmati boiled rice and 100,000 tons of atap rice through a government-to-government (G2G) process.

Earlier, on December 18, the Government Procurement Advisory Committee approved the import of 50,000 tons of non-basmati boiled rice from India at a cost of 2.28 million USD, or 274 crore 20 lakh Taka, with the purchase price set at 54.80 Taka per kilogram. The first approval for rice import was given on December 4, with a purchase price of 467.70 USD per ton, costing 280 crore 62 lakh Taka in total.

Bangladesh to Import LNG from the US in January to Meet Energy Demands
Government Approves Import of LNG Cargo at a Cost of Over 752 Crore Taka

In addition to the rice import, the government has approved the import of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from the United States to meet the country's energy demands. The LNG cargo will be imported by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources by January 31, 2025.

The lowest bidder, US-based M/s Accelerate Energy LP, has been selected to supply the LNG at a cost of 752 crore 50 lakh 24 thousand 416 Taka. This decision was made during the Government Procurement Advisory Committee's meeting held on January 7, chaired by Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed.

The approval followed a proposal by the Ministry of Energy, in line with the Public Procurement Rules, 2008, which recommended the import of the LNG cargo via the international spot market. A total of three bids were received, and after thorough evaluation, the lowest bidder, M/s Accelerate Energy LP, was selected to supply the LNG.

According to the agreement, 33.6 million MMBtu of LNG will be imported at a price of 15.69 USD per MMBtu. The total cost for importing this LNG will be 752 crore 50 lakh 24 thousand 416 Taka.

Earlier, the Government Procurement Advisory Committee also approved the import of an LNG cargo from South Korea's Posco International Corporation on December 26, 2024, at a cost of 692 crore 99 lakh 19 thousand 360 Taka. This new import from the United States will cost more than the previous one, highlighting the growing demand for energy imports in the country.