Bangabandhu Railway Bridge’s cost likely to go up by Tk 3,216 cr

The construction cost of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge over the Jamuna River is likely to go up by about Tk 3,216 crore as the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase (CCPP) has given conditional approval to award the contract to a Japanese firm.

Briefing reporters about the outcomes of the CCPP at the Cabinet Division on Thursday, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the committee approved the Japanese firm’s tender proposal with condition that the project with increased cost has to be approved again by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

According to official document, Japanese firm OTJ JV, Shinagawa Intercity, Japan quoted a cost of Tk 12,950.06 crore for the construction works, divided into two packages, while the project was approved by ECNEC at an estimated cost of Tk 9,734.07 crore on December 6, 2016.

The cost quoted by the Japanese contractor is excluding customs duty and value added tax (VAT).

“The project’s project profile, DPP (development project proforma) and revised DPP have to be approved by the ministry concerned and then the increased cost must be approved the ECNEC,” Mustafa Kamal told reporters.

The document reveals the three contractors bid for the project in two packages—Eastern part of civil works and western part of civil works. The OTJ JV, Shinagawa Intercity, Japan, came out to be the lowest bidder.

The tender evaluation committee of the Railway Ministry, after evaluation of bids and negotiation with the bidders, recommended the lowest bidder’s offer for placing to the Cabinet body.

The committee also approved eight other proposals placed by different ministries.

Four separate tender proposals from Local Government Division of the LGRD Ministry to award contract for construction of 136 multipurpose cyclone shelters received the nod of the committee.

Of them, 36 will be constructed in Patuakhali district while 50 in Pirojpur and 50 in Chattogram districts.

A joint venture of Civil Engineers and Nabaru Traders won the contract of 36 cyclone shelters at a cost of Tk 240.32 crore while another joint venture of Rafia Construction, Khandoker Shahin Ahmed and SB Traders obtained the contract of 50 cyclone shelters involving Tk 319.50 crore.

The Sharker Steel Limited, Dhaka won the contract for the construction 25 steel frame building cyclone shelters in Chattogram at a cost of Tk 103.75 crore while the same company obtained the works of another 25 steel frame building in the same district at a cost of Tk 107.05 crore.

The committee also approved a proposal of the LGRD Ministry to extend the construction cost of a 600 meter bridge over the Kaliganga River at Nesarabad in Pirojpur district by Tk 5.11 to Tk 119.15 crore.

The committee approved a tender proposal of the Power Ministry for rural electrification network expansion project involving Tk 94.70 crore.

Source: UNB

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