Cabinet clears President’s 75000-word JS inaugural speech

The cabinet on Monday approved the draft speech of President Abdul Hamid to be delivered at the inaugural session of the 11th Parliament, which will begin on January 30 next.
The approval came at the first cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office.Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed reporters at the conference room of the Cabinet Division at the Secretariat.
The full speech, having some 75,000 words, will be placed in the House at the maiden session of the new parliament, he said.But the President will read out the short version of his written speech having some 6,000 words in Parliament. It will take nearly an hour to deliver the speech.
The speech will focus on the country’s overall scenario, including economic development and activities, the government’s measures taken to establish good governance, the activities taken for implementing the Vision 2021 and the Vision 2041, and the government’s measures and successes in improvement of the country’s socio-economic status, said the Cabinet Secretary.
Besides, the Cabinet approved three draft bills — the Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kilns Establishment (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2018, the National Social Welfare Association Bill, 2018 and the Chittagong Hill Tracts (Land Acquisition) Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
About the Brick Bill, Shafiul Alam said the cabinet earlier cleared the draft bill and promulgated through an ordinance. The bill was brought again in amendment format in the Cabinet meeting due to legal obligation.Referring to the Social Welfare Bill, he said the Social Welfare Association had been running since 1956 through a resolution and then a government decision.
“There’s no law for it (the Association). So, the draft bill has been placed for providing the legal shape to the procedure of the association,” he said. As per the draft bill, there will be a Board of Governance to be headed by the Social Welfare Minister for the Association. The State Minister for Social Welfare will be its Vice Chairman.
Alongside some other government officials, a noted social activist will be nominated by the government from each district as member of the board. Of the district-level social activists, at least 20 must be women.Besides, the government will nominate five noted personalities from famous social activists, social researchers, writers and teachers as the members of the board.
The Executive Secretary of National Social Welfare Association will be the member secretary of the board.About CHT land acquisition bill, the Cabinet Secretary said it has been formulated to remove disparity between the plain-land districts and Chittagong Hill Tract region in availing of compensation against land acquisition.
According to the draft bill, 300 percent of market price of land will be given as compensation in case of land acquisition in the CHT area like the plain land.On December 20, 2018, an ordinance was promulgated increasing the compensation to 300 percent from 15 percent in case of land acquisition in the CHT area. “This ordinance has again been brought into a new format,” he said.
The Cabinet also approved in principle the draft of Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (BITAC) Bill 2018 for brining the BITAC under a legal framework.“As BITAC has been running though a resolution since 1962 and there is no law, the bill has been prepared,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
As per the draft law, there will be a Board of Directors to run the centre. The Industries Secretary will be the chairman of the 11-member board.The Cabinet also cleared a proposal for the reconstitution of the Cabinet committee to examine the 9th Wage Board Award for journalists.
The Cabinet committee was reconstituted increasing the number of its members at seven from five ones, Shafiul Alam said.Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader will lead the committee as its convenor.
Besides, the Cabinet cleared the draft of the National Action Plan on the Affairs of disabled persons in line with the Persons with Disabilities’ Rights and Protection Act 2013 and the Persons with Disabilities’ Rights and Protection Rules 2015.
In the Action Plan, there is a guideline for increasing the accessibility of persons with disabilities in all infrastructures and transports as well as availing of their dues and services.The Cabinet also adopted a condolence motion at the death of Public Administration Minister and ex-general secretary of Awami League Syed Ashraful Islam.
Ashraful Islam, son of national leader and Vice President of Mujibnagar government Syed Nazrul Islam, died at a hospital in Thailand on January 3 last.

source: UNB