Cabinet body nods PMO to buy 3 frequency jammers

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs yesterday approved a proposal moved by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to procure three vehicle mounted frequency jammers (VMFJ) for security purpose of the VIPs.
Initially, one VMFJ will be procured and then two others will be purchased in phases. The Special Security Force (SSF) will use the equipment for the VIPs.
Cabinet Secretary M Abdul Aziz, who briefed reporters about the outcome of the committee's meeting, however, gave no details of the proposal.
It could not be ascertained how much money will be required to purchase the highly sophisticated equipment, which will be used to create restrictions in the mobile phone frequency during the movement of VIPs in specific areas.
The cabinet economic affairs committee has given waiver to the proposal so that the PMO can procure the equipment without complying with the Public Procurement Act 2006.
It means the PMO will not need to invite any tender for this purchase and can buy the equipment from any country or company through negotiation.
The proposal received the cabinet committee nod at a time when the security issue of the VIPs is being widely discussed at different levels.
The cabinet committee meeting, with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair, approved another proposal of the food ministry to procure 32,400 pieces of wooden planks from Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC) for using those in food storage.
A waiver was given to the food ministry for which it will not need to pay any security deposit to BFIDC.
The cabinet committee decided to form a committee to review and examine a foreign ministry proposal to procure an apartment in New York for Bangladesh Permanent Mission there.
The shipping ministry placed before the cabinet meeting a report on Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA). The report was prepared on the basis of an audit report on BIWTA.
Responding to another proposal of the expatriate welfare and overseas employment ministry, the cabinet committee asked the authorities concerned to make coordination among the youth training centres for creating skilled manpower to increase opportunities of overseas employment.