Customs Uncover Irregularities in Tk 2.75 Crore Shipment for Matarbari Plant

Industry: Energy & Power, Power

A shipment worth $250,863 (Tk 2.75 crore) containing small tools for Bangladesh’s Matarbari power plant raised eyebrows when customs officials found inflated prices, such as Tk 1.82 lakh for two German hammers and Tk 92.99 lakh for two pipe cutters. Investigations revealed prices 5 to 18,545 times higher than standard values. The tools, supplied by KS TOOLS Werkzeuge, were deemed essential for construction and maintenance. Project officials defended the costs, citing special orders and materials, though no evidence supported this. Customs authorities received responses acknowledging the high prices, yet no objections were raised. Similar cases of overpriced imports for the project were observed previously. Transparency International Bangladesh condemned the practice, urging government action. Energy expert M Shamsul Alam criticized the inflated prices, emphasizing consumer burden.

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