An online orientation program on public procurement and e-GP was held for the journalists of Khulna Division on 29 August 2021. The orientation was organized under the Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project (DIMAPPP) being implemented by the Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) of the IME Division under the Ministry of Planning.

About 30 journalists from various media attended it. They highlighted transparency and accountability in public procurement and various aspects of access to information.

CPTU Director General Mr. Mohammed Shoheler Rahman Chowdhury presided over the program. Speaking on the occasion, he said that at present 65 per cent of expenditures for public procurement in the country is now being done through e-GP. Starting from 2011, the number of invited tenders through e-GP has recently exceeded five lakh. About 90,000 tenderers have registered in e-GP. A total of 1362 procuring agencies have so far registered in e-GP.

The CPTU Director General further said that from the beginning till 2021, income from registration, renewal fees and tender document fees in e-GP involving an amount of Tk 1405 crore has been deposited to the government treasury. About 5998 branches of 49 banks are providing e-GP payment services to the tenderers. Since 2003, 37,000 persons have been trained on PPR and public procurement in various durations of training. These trainings include government officials, tenderers and journalists. Since 2011 up to June 2021, 19,500 persons have been trained on e-GP. These trainings include government officials, bank officials and tenderers.

He said that media reporting is the most important means of raising public awareness. This orientation program is organized so that the journalists can easily grasp complex issues like public procurement through training.

Speaking as special guest, Mr. Md. Aziz Taher Khan, Director, CPTU, outlined steps in public procurement and different aspects of e-GP (digitizing) and discussed how journalists can use information from e-GP portal for media reporting. He also gave a presentation on Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project. At the same time, he said, as a result of e-GP, the average tender processing time has come down to 56 days. It took an average of 100 days before the introduction of e-GP in open tender method. Mr. Pulok Kumar Mondol, Additional District Magistrate of Khulna, was also connected to the virtual program.

Mr. Md. Shafiul Alam, Senior Communication Consultant, DIMAPPP of CPTU, dwelt on various aspects of news and reporting regarding public procurement. He emphasized understanding of the subject and writing reports with correct terminology of procurement. He mentioned, “Often it is seen in the media reports that CPTU of Planning Commission, which is not correct. The CPTU is within IMED, Ministry of Planning.” It is very unwise to publish reports without cross-check and without accommodating all concerned in an investigative report. There is no scope for giving any comment of reporter’s own in any spot or hard news, he said.

Khadija Bilkis, Team Leader of DIMAPPP’s BCC Component and Senior Deputy Director of BCCP, told participants about social awareness, citizen portal and citizen involvement in public procurement.

CPTU Deputy Director Md. Nasimur Rahman Sharif and Principal Project Management Consultant Mosta Gausul Haq also joined the program. The workshop was moderated by Mr. Badal Krishna Haldar, Assistant Director, BCCP.