The government will import 2.15 lakh tonnes of various kinds of fertilizers under state-to-state agreements with Russia, Morocco and Canada for ensuring adequate supply for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
The government also approved proposals for procuring three cargos of LNG. The decisions were taken at the meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase at the Secretariat on Tuesday with finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair.
According to official documents, the Ministry of Agriculture placed the proposals with Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) as the implementing agency.
From Russia, Bangladesh will import the first lot of 35,000 metric tonnes of Muriate of Potash (MOP) fertilizer from JSC ‘Foreign Economic Corporation (Prodintorg)’ at $ 361 per tonne. The total contract value stands at $ 1.26 crore, equivalent to Tk 154.91 crore.
Under the 2025–26 target of 5.99 lakh tonnes of MOP, imports from Russia will cover 1.99 lakh tonnes, of which 0.63 lakh tonnes have already been imported.
Bangladesh will also import fertilisers from Morocco through OCP, Nutricrops.
The second lot of 40,000 tonnes of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) will be imported at $ 782.67 per tonne costing $ 3.13 crore or Tk 384.45 crore.
The 2025–26 target for DAP imports is 8.81 lakh tonnes of which Morocco will supply 2.81 lakh tonnes.
The second lot of 30,000 tonnes of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) will be imported at $ 584.67 per tonne, totalling $ 1.75 crore or Tk 215.39 crore.
The third lot of 30,000 tonnes of TSP will be procured at the same unit price and contract terms, costing another Tk 215.04 crore.
For 2025–26, the TSP import target is 4.25 lakh tonnes, of which Morocco will provide 3.25 lakh tonnes.
From Canada, Bangladesh will import two lots of MOP fertiliser through the Canadian Commercial Corporation.
The fourth lot of 40,000 tonnes will be imported at $ 361 per tonne, totalling $ 1.44 crore or Tk 177.32 crore.
The fifth lot of 40,000 tonnes, also at $ 361 per tonne, will be imported at $ 1.44 crore or Tk 177.03 crore.
Out of the total MOP target of 5.99 lakh tonnes for FY2025–26, Canada will supply 4 lakh tonnes.
BSS adds: Finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said, ‘Our aim is to ensure necessary supply of LNG so that no such pressure is created on us to raise the energy price as such rise can impact the consumers as well as the industries.’
Following three separate proposals from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, Petrobangla would procure one cargo LNG from Total Energies Gas and Power Limited, United Kingdom with around Tk 480.68 crore (per MMBtu LNG costing $11.44); one cargo LNG from Total Energies Gas and Power Limited, United Kingdom with around Tk 476.47 crore (per MMBtu LNG costing $11.34) and another cargo LNG also from Total Energies Gas and Power Limited, United Kingdom with around Tk 484.88 crore (per MMBtu LNG costing $11.54) all following international quotation method.
Apart from these, the government would procure 15,000 tonnes of rock sulphur/bright yellow sulphur/bright yellow sulphur crude from various sources with around Tk 71.42 crore.