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The government is likely to invite an international tender for setting up the proposed 450mw Sirajganj Combined Cycle Power Plant in the private sector, reports UNB.
This would be the third tender for the project in more than three-and-a-half years during the tenure of the present government.
But industry insiders alleged that the qualifying conditions for the bidders have been softened for this third-time tender to favour a certain business quarters.
The Power Ministry prepared a summery for the Prime Minister's Office attaching the changed conditions for the approval.
As per the revised conditions, if any single firm wants to qualify for the 450mw Sirajganj project, it would require to have an experience of installing and operating a 300mw power plants. But, in case of joint venture proposal by two firms, they will need to have experience of installing and operating a 150mw plant for each of the two partners.
Earlier, in the original proposal, it was mandatory for a firm to have an experience of a 300mw power plant to qualify for the project, no matter either it is an independent or a joint venture proposal.
Similarly, the conditions on equity of the project have been eased saying that the equity: debt ratio would be acceptable on a 10:90 basis instead of earlier 20:80 ratio.
Sources said these two major changes were made only to favour a joint venture business of two particular firms. It was alleged that this certain group had earlier appealed to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to soften the conditions to facilitate their participation in the project.
But the plea was rejected by the PMO as it was found technically unsuitable for a mega project like a 450mw power plant.
Sources said the first and second tenders were floated between 2002 and 2004. On both the occasions, the government received a single offer for the project as many potential firms refrained from dropping their proposals on different grounds.
In the first tender, Summit Group, a local business house, offered to set up the project under a joint venture with state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB). The PDB was also to be the power purchaser of the project. But the government cancelled the project on the plea of gross irregularities.
In the second bidding, PHP-Essar Power Ltd, a joint venture of a local and an Indian firm, submitted their proposal. But government cancelled the second tender as the tariff offered by the firm was found financially non-responsive.
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