Bus Rapid Transit: Two Chinese firms banned from project over ‘fraud’
Two Chinese companies have been barred from a project for a year over "fraudulent practices" in connection with the procurement process of 137 buses for bus rapid transit (BRT) services.
Higer Bus Company and Xiamen Golden Dragon Bus Company were barred by the state-run Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit Company following an investigation, according to documents.
Subsequently, the two companies will not be eligible to participate in any bids for Dhaka BRT Company as an individual or a joint venture company in the next one year, read the documents.
Md Moniruzzaman, the managing director of Dhaka BRT Company, also confirmed the decision.
Last year, Dhaka BRT Company floated a tender for procuring 137 diesel-run air-conditioned buses to start BRT services on the 20.5km Dhaka-Gazipur route.
The two Chinese firms participated in the bid and submitted a statement of integrity and eligibility, according to a letter signed by Moniruzzaman.
But it has been "substantiated by an investigation" that the companies have "submitted a false statement of integrity and eligibility," it reads.
"Both parties [companies] concealed the conflict of interest between them."
The firms also did not reply to show cause notices served on January 29 within the stipulated timeframe of 15 days, reads the letter.
Asked about the issue of conflict of interest, Moniruzzaman said although the two firms are sister concerns, they took part in the bidding separately.
"By doing this, they actually hid the information and they cannot do this [as per the instruction for bidders]," he told The Daily Star yesterday.
The Daily Star, however, could not reach the two companies for comment.
Dhaka BRT Company has already cancelled the first bidding process and will initiate a new tender process soon, sources said.
The 20.5km bus corridor, the country's first dedicated rapid bus service, will help people reach Dhaka from Gazipur, the nearby city, in 35-40 minutes. This journey now takes between 1.5 and three hours.
On March 24, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said they hoped to launch the BRT service at the end of the year.
The Tk 4,268.38-crore project, formally known as the Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project, was undertaken in November 2012 to build the 20.50km dedicated bus service road from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Gazipur.
It was supposed to be completed at a cost of Tk 2,037.85 crore by December 2016.
However, issues relating to land acquisition, relocation of utility services, design changes, contractors running out of money and the pandemic caused delays. Besides, physical work was suspended twice due to girder collapse.
For the delay, the total project cost rose to Tk 4,268.3 crore and the deadline was revised to December 2024.
Comments