Govt to buy 85,000 laptops for 5,000 edu institutions

The government approved a proposal to purchase 85,000 laptops and 5,000 web cameras for five thousand educational institutions across the country.

They will also buy 5,000 routers and 5,000 network switches and other information technology devices.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase approved the proposal worth a total of Tk 487.21 crore. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal chaired the meeting on Thursday.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Communication has been asked to submit the list of contractors in the next meeting, said the Finance Minister.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Kamal said the CCGP meeting approved two separate proposals from the ICT Division and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.

Answering to a question, he said that the purchase proposal of laptops and other types of equipments is divided into various segments and it would be possible to reveal the details of the contractors once the summarized version is available.

Joining the briefing virtually, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Dr Shahida Akhter informed that some 85,000 laptops, 5,000 web cameras, 5,000 routers and 5,000 network switches would be procured by the Department of ICT for supplying those at the Sheikh Russell Digital Labs to be set in some 5,000 education institutions with a cost of around Taka 487.21 crore.

These laptops and other types of equipment will be procured under the project for establishing Sheikh Russell Digital Labs (2nd phase).

Replying to a question, Shahida said this procurement would be done following the concerned rules and regulations of the government.

She said the day’s meeting approved another proposal for awarding the package No W-2 and W-5 to Padma Associates and Engineers Ltd for constructing a multi-storey building on the Officers Club, Dhaka campus with a cost of around Taka 164.14 crore.

Prior to the CCGP meeting, the meeting on the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs was held virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

The meeting approved a proposal in principle to procure a radar system and other equipments for Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with own fund of the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority instead of the fund from the government of Bangladesh.