Banks will be come under e-procurement system by the next week to ensure transparency in the public purchase process.

In this regard, a meeting was held between Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) and 16 banks on Thursday at NEC-I conference room to finalise their incorporation in e-procurement system.

Planning minister AK Khandker, IMED secretary Habib Ullah Majumder, CPTU director general Amulya Kumar Debnath, executives of 16 banks attended the meeting.

Habib Ullah Majumder told reporters after the meeting that the government was expected to sign agreements with the 16 banks in next week to bring them under the system.

The IMED secretary said the government will initially introduce the system in four big government agencies, and in all the public sector organisations in phases.

He said necessary equipments have already been provided to the government agencies for smooth functioning of the system.

The IMED secretary informed that the banks would collect bid security, tender fee and performance guarantee from the contractors through the system.

"We will provide training to the bank officials to give them a clear idea about their responsibilities," Majumder said.

The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU)) has been implementing the e-procurement with the help of World Bank.

News: Daily Sun/Bangladesh/11 Feb 2011