GK Project
JS body finds wrong with job re-tender plan
Staff Correspondent
A parliamentary sub-committee, formed to probe a decision for re-tender of rehabilitation of a key irrigation project pumps by an inter-ministerial committee, found the process faulty. The report of the sub-committee of the parliamentary standing committee on the water resources ministry said the tender body sidestepped a Water Development Board technical committee report for awarding the work under the Ganga-Kobadak project to the lowest bidder. Japanese firm Ivara International offered to rehabilitate three pumps of the irrigation project at a cost of about Tk 132 crore as the lowest bidder. The sub-committee, formed on January 14 after the filing of a complaint by Shahidul Islam, a lawmaker from Kushtia, came up with its report at the standing committee meeting. Shahidul challenged the re-tender decision of August 5 last year and sent a complaint to the parliamentary committee with a copy to the prime minister. The sub-committee handed over the report to Water Resources Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, who assured that he would scrutinise the report and take a decision accordingly. The report on re-tender would also be sent to the prime minister, the minister said. "The sub-committee report was discussed in the meeting and the minister has assured us of poring over the report to arrive at a decision," committee Chairman M A Matin said. The sub-committee observed that Ivara International deserved the contract for the renovations to the pumps, installed by a Japanese firm in 1957 to take water to 1,97,500 hectares of farmland in 13 upazilas of three districts -- Magura, Kushtia and Chuadanga. About Tk 48 crore would have been wasted if the contract was given to Kenematsu, another Japanese firm through the re-tender, it said, adding, the process would take another two years to implement the project. The irrigation pumps are in very bad shape and collapse of any running pump would hamper cereal production in the project area. Most standing committee members at the meeting alleged that the re-tender decision was taken because of bureaucratic tangles and favoured awarding the contract to Ivara, sources said. Chaired by the committee chairman, the meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban was attended by committee members and officials concerned.
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