Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) have procured same mosquito-control machines at two different rates, say sources.
Although the manufacturer and supplier for two city corporations are same the rates differ by Tk 46,000.
According to documents obtained by Bangla Tribune, Messrs Parents’ Enterprise supplied K10SP fogger machines of German manufacturer Pulse Fog Company to Dhaka North at a rate of Tk 167,000 each, while they supplied same product to Dhaka South at a rate of Tk 213,000 each.
DNCC issued a work order to supply as many as 238 fogger machines to their Store and Purchase Department within 90 days on Jul 7 for nearly Tk 51 million to procure the products.
According to those responsible, the work order was issued to attain unscrupulous advantages.
“The incident of procuring same machine at different cost is unusual. City Corporation bargains with any supplier during procurement,” DNCC Chief Store and Purchase chief Sagir Hossain told Bangla Tribune.
“To the best of my knowledge, the machines have been bought through e-Government Procurement (e-GP),” he added.
DNCC Chief Executive Officer Abdul Hai said that he has little knowledge of the matter as the machines were bought under former store and purchase officer Jakir Hossain.
Sources confirm that two DNCC councillors Hossain visited Germany to purchase the machines.
“After reaching Germany, we found all papers signed regarding the purchase,” said Panel Mayor Aleya Sarwar Daisy, who was on the trip.
She alleged that the their trip was an eyewash to validate the purchase and they didn’t have the opportunity to compare prices.
Another DNCC councillor, Abdul Mannan said, “I have no knowledge of any irregularities over the procurement.”
Meanwhile, the supply company alleged DNCC officials’ trip in line with the deal has escalated the cost of purchase.
Contracting organisation Parents’ Enterprise, Managing Partner Shirajul Hauqe said, “A term in the tender notice states that DNCC representatives should be sponsored for a foreign trip. The trip expenditure has been included with the purchase cost.”
“Moreover, as DNCC required an emergency delivery and the machines were airlifted to minimize carriage time,” he said before adding the airlifting pulled the cost up.
However, the documents read, the company delivered the products to DSCC by ship that conditioned delivery within 10 days while it took 90 days for the machines to be airlifted for DNCC.