The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved a proposal in principle for following the Direct Procurement Method (DPM) for holding a drone, aerial and fireworks show to celebrate the golden jubilee of the country's independence on March 26 this year.
The approval came from the 5th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs of this year held virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal as chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Kamal said that the government wants to observe the golden jubilee of the country's independence with colourful festivities.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs will hold a drone show, aerial show and fireworks show as well to highlight the various achievements of the country over the years, he added.
“These shows will be held to inform people about our achievements while creating a nice environment. We hope people irrespective of their age will enjoy these shows,” he added.
Subject to the necessary amendments to the Public Procurement Rules, the meeting approved in principle a proposal from the Ministry of Food for reducing the timeframe of the procurement process to import rice and wheat through international open tendering methods for emergency state purposes.
Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal, said the meeting also approved in principle a proposal for procuring one lakh metric tons of non-basmati boiled rice from National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) through the DPM method in line with Section 68(1) of the PPA 2006 and Section 76(2) of the PPR 2008 on emergency state purposes.
The finance minister said the government would procure this rice from India, but under the existing rules and law, it is not possible to import rice from the international market in a short time without a tender.
The Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) has been asked to make the necessary amendments to the PPR and PPA related to its timeframe, he added.
Kamal said after a floating tender, they will need to wait for 40 to 42 days to import goods from international market, but prices of essential and consumer items such as onion, rice and edible oil witness ups and downs every now and then while the price also often remains volatile.
As a result, he said, the tenderers do not want to wait for a long time and tend to be less responsive.
Under the circumstances, the government wants to import the amount of rice within the shortest possible time by opening LCs and ensuring all necessary arrangements for which the amendments would be brought to the PPR, he added.
In response to a question, Kamal said that he took the Covid-19 vaccine yesterday and he has not experienced any side effects.
“Please make sure you take the Covid-19 vaccine, vaccines should be taken by everybody, especially by those who are eligible,” he added.
