Dhaka, : Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has said the country’s entire export-import activities will be brought under the scanning system to check tax-dodging and money-laundering.
He made the remarks while briefing reporters on the Cabinet Committee on Purchase’s approval of procurement of two scanners with two years of operation and maintenance on Wednesday. He chaired the meeting.
The Customs House in Chittagong Port will procure the two scanners at a cost of Tk 90.31 crore under which the supplier will provide operation and maintenance service for a two-year term.
Gulshan-based firm 5R-Nuctech Consortium won the contract to supply the scanners and provide two-year operation and maintenance services.
The finance minister said the Chittagong Customs House requires a total of 12 scanners but there are only four installed there.
“With the two new scanners, the total number will reach six,” he said, adding that the rest six scanners will be installed gradually to bring the export-import business through the port under full scanning system.
Mustafa Kamal said the government has a plan to install four other scanners at other ports and goods entry points to check any illegal business.
He said once the scanners are installed, there will be no scope to import or export goods at under or over invoiced prices which will ultimately prevent money-laundering from the country.
“Even we can easily oversee what kinds of products are being exported or imported at what prices,” said the finance minister.
The Cabinet Purchase Committee approved a total of 11 proposals for procurement of goods and services.
Of these, the Food Ministry’s proposal to import 100,000 metric tons of wheat at Tk 224.53 crore from Russian Federation under government-to-government deal received the nod of the committee.
The Agriculture Ministry’s proposal to procure 350,000 mt of DAP at a cost of Tk 1,388 crore from Saudi Arabia got the go-ahead of the committee.
Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) will import fertiliser from Saudi Maaden.
The committee approved a proposal of the Public Works and Housing Ministry to award a contract for constructing 832 flats for low and middle income group people. Local firm Biswas Builder won the contract at a cost of Tk 113.04 crore.
Each of the flats will be of 1,545 square feet.
The Committee gave its nod to a proposal of the Education Ministry to procure 18,500 metric tons of papers for printing books for secondary level of Bangla, English Version and SSC vocational classes at a cost of 172.28 crore.
Five separate tender proposals for procurement of a total of 15 power substations by Rural Electrification Board (REB) received the nod of the committee.
Local supplier EnergyPac won all the contracts of which each contract covering 3 substations will cost between Tk 19.90 crore and Tk 20.48 crore.
