A total of 163 vehicles are being procured to enhance the operational capability of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). These include three jeeps, 100 patrol pickups and 60 air-conditioned microbuses.

The vehicles will cost Tk 1.22 billion. They will be purchased through the direct procurement method. State-owned (Progoti Industries Limited) will supply the vehicles.

The proposal for the purchase was approved today, Thursday, at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase held at the Secretariat and chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury. The proposal was presented by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to sources at the Home Ministry, each jeep will have an engine capacity of 2,500cc. The market price of each could be around Tk 15 million. Meanwhile, the current market price of a patrol jeep is Tk 6.4 million and that of a microbus is Tk 4.8 million.

On 5 April, the Finance Division of the Ministry of Finance issued a circular suspending the purchase of all kinds of vehicles.