The government has incurred a loss of Tk 41 crore in the last 14 months due to the failure of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) to float tenders on time for handling integrated containers.
The integrated container handling work is now being done by a local company named M/S Saif Powertech Limited.
The company, during the last tender of the port, invited on June, 2008 for conducting container handling work proposed Tk 165 more per container than the lowest bidder's proposal of Tk 340.
But the port authority could not give the work order to the lowest bidder, M/S Eshak Brothers Industries Limited, due to the recommendation of the parliamentary standing committee on the shipping ministry and awarded the work to Saif Powertech Limited.
After negotiations between Saif Powertech Limited, the shipping ministry and the Chittagong port authority held on April 28 last, the port authority issued an order to the company to conduct container handling work for the period from August 4, 2008 to November 30, 2008 for Tk 1,200 per container and Tk 505 per container for the period from December 1, 2008 to June 15, 2009.
Saif Powertech Limited is now handling the container work in the Chittagong port after getting a special order from the Chittagong Port Authority.
A high official of the shipping ministry told The Independent that the ministry had made a proposal relating to the extended time frame of conducting container handling work in the Chittagong port by Saif Powertech Limited until further orders.
The Chittagong Port Authority appointed Saif Powertech Limited for handling containers in the port area for Tk 1,200 per container without inviting tenders on March 7, 2007.
Secretary of Chittagong Port Authority Sayed Forhad Uddin said that they had given the order to Saif Powertech Limited for handling containers as per the direction of the shipping ministry. The company would continue its activities until further orders.
Managing Director of Saif Powertech Limited Tarofder Md Ruhul Amin said that the port had no expert staff for handling containers and cargoes. The port authority had to pay Tk 505 per container.
Sources in the Chittagong Port Authority said that at least 12 lakh TUES (twenty equivalent unit) container handling work was done in the Chittagong port per year.
The Chittagong Port Authority handled a record quantity of containers in the last fiscal. The CPA handled 11,08,056 TUES containers from July, 2008 to June, 2009 while the quantity of handled containers was 32,02,868 TUES in the previous fiscal. |
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