Rejoinder, our reply
Sikder Real Estate Ltd, the local partner of Dong AH-ASCON-Sikder JV, issued a rejoinder to a report published in The Daily Star on January 15 with the headline "Rajuk boss resigns, retracts a day after. Reason learnt to be row with state minister over contract of Uttara apartment project".
Contradicting with the story's information that said Sikder Real Estate lacked experience to undertake a big job like building the Uttara apartment project, the rejoinder claimed that the company had been in real estate business for 62 years in Bangladesh and abroad.
“During this long time, it has constructed a number of apartments and commercial buildings, educational institutes, roads, bridges and culverts. The yearly turnover requirement for all three joint venture partner is well above BDT 6,500 crore," the rejoinder said.
It added that on September 20, 2012, Dong AH-ASCON-Sikder JV submitted tender for construction of B and C types' total 144 number buildings in Rajuk's Uttara Apartment project. Sikder Real Estate Ltd fulfilled all the required requirements of Rajuk to be the partner of Dong AH-ASCON-Sikder JV.
Dong AH, being the lead partner (of this project) required to have 40 percent and other two partners should have at least 25 percent of yearly turnover BDT 2,000 crore.
Being JV participant, Sikder Real Estate Ltd's required to have BDT 500 crore turnover. As per last 5 years' audit balance sheet, the average turnover of Sikder Real Estate Ltd, is well above BDT 500 crore. Sikder Group's yearly turnover is USD 235 million.
OUR REPLY
The Daily Star report was based on the findings of Rajuk's technical evaluation committee and tender evaluation committee. The fact remains that the Rajuk committees have disqualified Sikder Ltd's participation in the bid on several grounds, including its annual turnover claims.
While the rejoinder claimed that the company has over Tk 500 crore annual turnover, the two committees found that the turnover shown by the company was basically money collected from its clients against some projects and loans from some banks and from sister concerns -- which are not turnovers. Actually, turnover is the part of income statement but there was no income statement in the submitted audit report.
The company also failed to submit required drawings including that of architectural, structural, plumbing, sanitary and electro mechanical works of the buildings. Accordingly, the Rajuk board on January 16 rejected the bid of Dong AH-ASCON-Sikder JV.
We stand by our report.
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