Dhaka: The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of the Bangladesh Press Institute Bill, aiming to give legal shape to the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) and make it more time-befitting one alongside improving its operations, reports local news agency.

The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said since inception of the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) on 18 August, 1976, it has been operating only through a resolution.

‘So, the government feels the necessity of framing a law and that’s why the draft law has been placed before the Cabinet.’

The proposed law also defines the word ‘journalist’.

It also outlines that the main PIB office will be there in the capital while the government will be able to set up its branch offices outside the capital.

The cabinet Secretary said there will be a 15-member Board of Directors for the PIB to be appointed by the government for two years with representation from eminent journalists, educationists, public relations experts and representatives from various journalists’ bodies.