DHAKA, April 13, 2025 (BSS) - The government has put due stress on proper and timely implementation of various projects to avert misuse in such huge expenditure as currently around US$30 billion are spent annually on public procurement in Bangladesh. 

On an average, about 1,500 projects are included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) every year. If it is possible to achieve the goals and objectives of these projects, then it will have huge positive impact on the country's economy.

Md. Mahfuzar Rahman, director (Joint Secretary) of Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA), said this as the chief guest at a workshop on BPPA's functions and exchange of experience on e-GP in Bhola district today.

Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md. Azad Jahan chaired the workshop held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner's Office.

The workshop organised by BPPA was managed by the Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP), said a press release.

Representatives of various procuring entities of the district, bank representatives, tenderers, journalists and BCCP representatives were present at the workshop.

Md. Mahfuzar Rahman said, "The current government is emphasizing on reforms and transparency in all areas. One of the reforms in public procurement is the digitization of public procurement or e-GP. Currently, about 65 percent of government procurement is being done through e-GP."

"We need to increase this to 100 percent," he said adding that Bangladesh's e-GP system has already received appreciation from both at home and abroad.
 
So far, Mahfuzur said some 11 countries and five international organisations have monitored Bangladesh's e-GP system and its implementation. 

"The e-CMS has been launched in the country through which real-time data on project implementation can be monitored from the office. It is linked to the e-GP system. The tenderers' payment is being sent to their accounts," he added. 

Additionally, the BPPA official said e-audit has been launched while work is underway to interconnect e-GP with the DVS system to verify the financial statements submitted by bidders online.

Mentioning several positive achievements of e-GP, he said 70 percent of tender notices could be published in 2007, which has now increased to 100 percent.

In 2007, only 10 percent of work orders were awarded within the initial period of tender validity, which has been increased to 96.63 percent. The average number of acceptable tenders against each tender has increased from only 3 to 10.68.