Dhaka: The cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the ‘National Housing Policy 2016’ with a focus on protecting the environment and ensuring housing facility for every citizen.

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

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the major features of the policy include considering political, economic, environmental, religious values and rituals for ensuring proper housing and developing sustainable human habitation, giving emphasis on protecting the environment, controlling the forests and natural resources, protecting cultural heritage in formulating various housing projects, preserving natural water bodies, consulting Detailed Area Plan (DAP), preserving rainwater and addressing the environmental issues.

Besides, there is a proposal in the policy to form Land Bank with khas and fallow land in urban and rural areas as well as to form housing credit fund for the middle- and lower-income group people.

Besides, there is also a proposal in the policy to ensure National Building Code for ensuring the quality and security of the building.

Shafiul Alam said the government first framed the policy in 1993 following the demand raised at the UN environmental summit held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1992. It was then updated in 1999.

He said the cabinet also gave a nod to a proposal on constitution of the Container Company of Bangladesh Ltd in order to run Bangladesh Railway’s container transport services through an independent committee.

Earlier at the outset of the meeting, the cabinet unanimously adopted a resolution thanking Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for being one of the members of the High-Level UN Panel on Water.

The UN Secretary General and the World Bank President on April 21 announced the name of Sheikh Hasina for the high-powered body in which 10 heads of state or government and two advisers are members of the panel for the next two years.

The meeting was also apprised about the visit of Industries Minister in Saudi Arabia on March 1-5 last to exchange views with the Saudi Trade and Industries Minister on bilateral trade and expansion of investment as well as signing MoU between BSTI and SASO of Saudi Arabia, participation of the Information Minister at the Ministerial conference of the OIC held in Morocco on December 17-19 last.

Ministers and State Ministers, and secretaries concerned were present at the meeting.