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Govt to import 5 lakh tonnes of fertiliser

Rejaul Karim Byron
The government will import five lakh tonnes of fertiliser from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Qatar under state arrangement to case fertiliser crisis and boost rice production in the next fiscal year.
A high-level committee led by the industries secretary has already held talks with the authorities concerned paying visit to the three countries.
The proposal for importing urea may be placed before the Advisory Committee on Economic Affairs today.
The three countries have already sent draft contract letters to Bangladesh authorities following discussions between the committee and the authorities concerned.
Qatar Fertiliser Company, QAFCO, has already informed Bangladesh that it can export two lakh tonnes of urea as per the proposal prepared by the industries ministry. Qatar has also expressed its interest to export more urea, if necessary.
The UAE in principle has also agreed to export 80,000 to 1 lakh tonne of urea while Saudi Arabia has consented to export one lakh tonne.
Industries ministry officials said the government would set an import target of five lakh tonnes of urea while signing the final agreement.
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“The fertiliser prices are going up in the international market. Urea was sold at $769 to $784 a tonne last month, while it was $408 last year. Therefore, the industries ministry asked the government to make a quick decision on fertiliser import," said a ministry official.
The three countries have asked Bangladesh to inform them of its decision quickly, he said, adding that otherwise they might export the fertiliser to other countries.
The industries ministry in its proposal said although the Public Procurement ReguIations-2003 will be violated through the import of fertiliser at the state-level, it is important to approve the proposal considering the government's high priority on agriculture and food crisis in the country.
Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in February instructed the industries ministry to make necessary preparation for dealing with any possible fertiliser crisis in the country, sources in the industries ministry said.
Following the chief adviser's instructions, an inter-ministerial meeting in April this year set the demand for urea at 28.5 lakh tonnes for the next fiscal year
Of this, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will produce 17 lakh tonnes of urea, while the government will pur chase five lakh tonnes from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company and import seven lakh tonnes.