The government has tied up with Malaysia to build about 8,400 flats in Uttara after local contractors failed to deliver.

The cabinet committee on economic affairs at a meeting yesterday approved a proposal to construct 100 buildings under technical and financial management of the Malaysian government on a designbuild-transfer basis.

Two Malaysian firms will construct the 16-storey buildings using industrialised building system (IBS), according to the proposal of the housing and public works ministry.

In May, a six-member team from Bangladesh visited Malaysia to see buildings constructed using the IBS, which is a technique of construction where components are manufactured in a controlled environment, either at site or off site. A Malaysian team also visited the Uttara apartment project site.

Earlier in April, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two governments.In October 2011, the government approved the apartment project at an estimated cost of Tk 9,030 crore.

Though local contractors were appointed for the construction of the flats, the government later cancelled their appointments.

Meanwhile, at a meeting of the purchase committee yesterday, a proposal was approved for appointing a contractor at a cost ofTk 51 crore for the project "Online filing and digitisation of tax returns: establishment of taxpayers information and service centres".

Being the lowest bidder, FPT Information System Corporation got the work.

Linder the project, the National Board of Revenue will get an integrated tax administration system. Online filing and digitisation of tax will also be introduced at 649 offices of the NBR across the country with financing from the Asian Development Bank.