The interim government of Bangladesh, headed by Muhammad Yunus, has approved the acquisition of two bulk carrier ships from the United States at a cost of approximately $76.698 million (around Tk 936 crore).
The decision was finalized at a Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) meeting chaired by Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat today.
The vessels, each with a carrying capacity of 55,000–66,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT), will be purchased from Hellenic Dry Bulk Ventures LLC. “Following an open bidding process with three participants, the US firm emerged as the lowest responsive bidder. The purchase will be financed from the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation’s own funds,” the officials are now claiming.
However, when and how the bidding process began and concluded remains unclear. The purchase had not been publicly disclosed by any interim government official until today, when the proposal was raised directly in the CCGP meeting and approved.
Critics argue that this lack of prior disclosure undermines transparency and accountability. Some opposition figures claim the ships are being bought as part of a secret deal with the United States.
Opponents also accuse Dr. Yunus of exceeding the mandate of the extra-constitutional interim administration, which was expected to focus on arranging elections and transferring power to an elected government as soon as possible.
Government sources defend the move as a strategic investment that will increase BSC’s annual cargo capacity by 1.2 million tonnes, boost yearly profits by about Tk 190 crore, and generate significant foreign exchange savings and revenue, particularly through expanded tax and dividend contributions. Supporters say the acquisition will strengthen logistical capacity and trade efficiency.
Rising Tensions and Questions of Transparency
Procurement oversight groups and analysts have warned of eroding governance standards. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) recently criticized the government’s reliance on direct procurement in other high-value projects, citing Tk 111 crore spent on the July Uprising Memorial Museum and a pattern of bypassing competitive processes.
Meanwhile, the Information Commission, which oversees Right to Information efforts, remains largely inactive, with key positions vacant and annual reports unpublished—signs of what critics call institutional decline.
Experts have stressed the need for inclusive policymaking and openness in the interim government’s operations, warning that secrecy could undermine the credibility of its reform agenda.
Political Context and Reform Landscape
The ship purchase comes amid the Yunus administration’s efforts to restructure Bangladesh’s governance framework—largely bypassing parliament and democratic institutions, and without engaging major pro-independence political parties such as the Awami League, Jatiya Party and leftists. Backed by some loyalist parties and groups, the government has launched 11 reform commissions, including on anti-corruption, constitutional changes, electoral reform, and judicial and police reform. A six-member task force is also reviewing the banking sector.
Human rights organizations report widespread institutional breakdown, attacks on press freedom, and suppression of dissent, raising concerns over democratic backsliding even as the administration invests in infrastructure and procurement projects.
Since coming to power after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, following an army- and Islamist-backed uprising, Dr. Yunus’s government has faced criticism over alleged human rights abuses and governance practices. Hasina, now in exile in India, has been indicted on multiple charges, and her party, the Awami League, has been banned by the Yunus administration from engaging in political activities.
Yunus has pledged to hold parliamentary elections in February 2026, ahead of Ramadan, as part of a transition to elected rule. However, with allegations of corruption, criminal misconduct, human rights violations, inflation, institutional instability, and political fragmentation already straining the administration, the high-cost and previously undisclosed ship purchase is likely to intensify scrutiny over fiscal prudence and transparency.
