Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presided over a meeting held at the Bangladesh Planning Commission campus.Photo : collected

DHAKA, July 9, 2026 (BSS) - Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, MP, has directed the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA) to take measures to further reduce the lead time in public procurement, which has already been brought down to 54 days.

The minister issued the directive while presiding over the fourth meeting of the 10-member Governing Board of the BPPA at the Authority's conference room on the Bangladesh Planning Commission campus today.

The meeting was attended by State Minister for Planning and Senior Vice-Chair of the Governing Board,  Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki MP, Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), Shirajun Noor Chowdhury, and other members of the Governing Board, said a press release.

The procurement lead time refers to the period from the invitation of tenders to the signing of contracts.

Commending the BPPA for its institutional development and procurement reforms, the minister said, "It is encouraging that the procurement lead time has been reduced from around 100 days to 54 days through the introduction of the electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system and other reforms undertaken by the BPPA. However, it should be reduced further to expedite project implementation."

Expressing concern over delays in project execution, he said, "Delays in project implementation impede the government's development agenda. A faster procurement process, supported by greater efficiency, competition and transparency, will significantly accelerate project implementation and improve development outcomes."

As Chair of the BPPA Governing Board, the minister also emphasized the need to enhance competition and improve the quality of public procurement, observing that stronger procurement performance would contribute substantially to timely and effective project execution.

The minister further noted that the activities of the Ministry of Planning need to be revitalized and announced that he would work from his Planning Ministry office at least one day every week to provide closer oversight.

Earlier in the meeting, with the permission of the Chair, Member-Secretary of the Governing Board and Chief Executive Officer (Secretary) of the BPPA, S. M. Moin Uddin Ahmed, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the establishment of the BPPA, its organizational structure, statutory functions, progress of the e-GP system, ongoing project implementation, key challenges and future strategic priorities.

The minister instructed the BPPA to expedite implementation of its ongoing modernization project, ensure mandatory adoption of the electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system and digital signatures, and strengthen due diligence of participating firms and companies in public procurement.

He also stressed the importance of appointing competent Project Directors and enhancing their professional capacity to improve project implementation. In addition, he underscored the need for regular meetings of the BPPA Governing Board to ensure effective oversight and timely decision-making.