Tenders for the construction of two student halls at Kushtia Islamic University (IU) at a cost of Tk. 108 crore have been opened despite in the wake of allegations of leaking information on online (EGP) tenders process.

The e-tender apps were opened on Monday afternoon at the scheduled time. The university authorities say they have completed the process following all the rules due.

HM Ali Hasan, director at the Department of planning and development (P&D) also director of the university's ongoing mega project worth Tk 537 crore, confirmed it.

He said there is a tender open committee (TOC) constituted by the university and this committee usually opens tenders. Ali Hasan is the president the committee and Nasim Reza, an executive engineer in the engineering department is the member-secretary.

HM Ali Hasan said the construction company MS-MRT (JV) has got the job.

Munshi Saeed Md. Tareq, acting chief engineer of the university said that as the construction company is the lowest bidder, they will get the job as per the rules.

He said a total of 10 construction companies took part in the tender. Of these, 4 tenders were submitted for one hall and 6 for the other. Among them, they got the job at the lowest rate of 7.99% offered by MS-MRT (JV).

Few contractors who did not get the job after purchasing the tenders seeking anonymity alleged that the names of the companies participating in the tenders were leaked earlier. The names of the companies were sent to the Vice Chancellor, Project Director and Chief Engineer of the university by cell phone message.

Acting Chief Engineer Munshi Saeed told leaking names of the construction companies did make no harm in the tender process. Because the percentage of bid put up in the tender paper has not been leaked.

University Vice Chancellor Sheikh Abdus Salam said no contractor had lodged any written complaint with them.

He said if there is any complaint, it should come in writing and it should be submitted to the higher level not to the university. Because the university has no control over the e-tender process. It is regulated by the Central Procurement Unit (CPTU) under the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the Ministry of Planning.

For the last 3/4 days, the name of the construction companies who participated in the e-tender for the construction of two student halls at the university was leaked from an unknown quarter. The names of 10 companies were mentioned in it. Concerns were raised among the contractors participated.

After being informed about the matter, the Vice Chancellor of the University himself immediately contacted the Education Minister, CPTU and all the concerned departments.

Vice Chancellor Sheikh Abdus Salam further said he had spoken about it several times there when the CPTU Director General Sohelur Rahman Chowdhury assured him that it was impossible for EGP's information to be leaked from CPTU.

The vice-chancellor apprehended that vested group might have leaked information among themselves.