The current government of Bangladesh is dedicated to creating a pro-people public procurement system. Efforts are underway to prevent waste and minimize delays in project implementation. Each year, approximately 1,500 projects are undertaken under the Annual Development Programme (ADP). Achieving the intended goals and objectives of these projects can significantly impact the national economy.

To facilitate this, the electronic Project Management Information System (e-PMIS) has been integrated with the electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system, enabling real-time access to project implementation data from government offices. In the ongoing fiscal year, 1,343 projects are listed under ADP, and 1,277 project directors have already registered and begun updating information on e-PMIS.

Mr. Abul Kashem Md. Mohiuddin, Secretary, Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), highlighted these developments while addressing an awareness workshop on the functions of BPPA and the progress of e-GP on December 29, 2024 in Bogura.

The workshop, organized by the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA), was chaired by Ms. Hosna Afroza, Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of Bogura. Special guests included Mr. Md. Zedan Al Musa, Superintendent of Police in Bogura, and Mr. Md. Sakhawat Hossain, Director (Deputy Secretary) of BPPA.

Mr. Md. Sakhawat Hossain delivered an insightful presentation on BPPA’s functions and the progress of e-GP implementation. The workshop, managed by the Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP), was held at the Bogura Deputy Commissioner's Office. It was moderated by Mr. Mohammad Abdus Salam, Assistant Director at BCCP. Attendees included officials from the Deputy Commissioner's Office, representatives of procuring entities, tenderers, banks, media, and BCCP executives.

The IMED Secretary emphasized that Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in e-GP adoption, with 65% of procurement by volume now conducted electronically. Efforts are underway to increase this to 100%, which requires collective cooperation. Citizen engagement in public procurement has been prioritized, with the establishment of the Sorkari Kroy Batayan, a citizen portal on public procurement.

The Secretary also stressed the shared responsibility of procuring entities and contractors in ensuring transparency. Strict measures, including barring tenderers from public procurement, are in place to combat collusion and corruption.

The e-GP system now supports both comprehensive procurement processing and contract management. It now includes features such as e-CMS, e-Audit, A-Challan, international competitive tendering module, direct procurement method, professional and intellectual service procurement, and a tenderers’ database. Additionally, the public procurement portal provides citizens with access to procurement information. BPPA is also advancing initiatives to implement Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) for a more inclusive and environmentally conscious procurement system.