Serious irregularities have been reported in the tender process of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX) for selecting an international seismic service provider.
According to official sources and industry insiders, the state-owned BAPEX, a subsidiary of Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Minerals Corporation-Petrobangla, floated a tender aimed at conducting a 2D Seismic Survey over Exploration Blocks 07 and 09 in Bangladesh, raising concerns about transparency and compliance with procurement regulations.
BAPEX initially shortlisted four companies for the project. Of these, three—Geofizyka Torun (Poland), Sinopec International Petroleum Service Corporation (China), and BGP Inc., China National Petroleum Corporation—submitted proposals. Officials stated that the tender process followed the Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) method.
During the tendering stage, BAPEX set a qualification criterion requiring bidders to have a minimum of 10 years of experience and a record of conducting at least 10,000 LKM of 2D seismic surveys.
However, sources said the tender committee did not accept experience related to 3D seismic surveys, despite the fact that companies experienced in 3D seismic surveys can efficiently execute 2D seismic projects.
In contrast, firms specialized only in 2D seismic surveys lack the expertise to conduct 3D surveys, they alleged.
Critics pointed out that this criterion seemed designed to benefit specific companies.
After the technical evaluation, those companies that appeared to benefit from these selective requirements received the highest technical scores, raising suspicions about fairness and impartiality in the process.
The BAPEX board approved the project on September 22, 2024. However, only three members—Mr. Nurul Alam (former Energy Secretary), Mr. Zanendra Nath Sarker (former Chairman of Petrobangla), and Md. Shoyeb (Managing Director of BAPEX)—attended the board meeting that finalized the approval.
“This is a clear departure from standard procurement practices, as such committees usually consist of at least 7 members to ensure broader oversight and accountability,” a source said, pointing to alleged ill motives within BAPEX management.
Additionally, it was reported that BAPEX provided office space within its premises for the former Energy Secretary, an act that appears to contravene government rules and regulations.
Industry insiders stated that the involvement of these key individuals, who were allegedly implicated in corruption within the energy sector during the Awami League’s tenure, has further fueled concerns about the integrity of the process.
Industry insiders also highlighted another major violation concerning the timeline for issuing the Notification of Award (NoA). According to the Public Procurement Rules (PPR), specifically Clause No. 35(1) and 36(4)(Ka), the NoA must be issued to the lowest bidder within seven working days after the final decision by the procurement committee.
However, BAPEX issued the NoA on January 20, 2025—nearly four months after the board’s approval—constituting a direct breach of procurement regulations.
Given these significant procedural violations and transparency concerns, stakeholders and industry experts are urging BAPEX to cancel the current tender and initiate a fresh process.
They stated that a re-tendering process would allow globally reputed seismic survey companies to participate, ensuring that Bangladesh’s energy sector benefits from the best available expertise and technology.
As Bangladesh seeks to strengthen its energy exploration capabilities, ensuring fair and transparent procurement processes remains critical.
Addressing these irregularities will be essential to maintaining public trust and attracting high-quality international investments in the sector, they said.
