The cabinet on Monday approved a proposal for the inclusion of the 25th March in the Class ‘Ka’ of the circular issued by the Cabinet Division that declared the Day as the Mass Killing Day to observe nationally and internationally.

Besides, the cabinet on Monday approved the draft of Urban and Zone Planning Bill, 2017 aimed at bringing discipline in land management and restricting the misuse of land in the country.

The cabinet gave the approval in principle at its regular weekly meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, reports UNB.

Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam briefed reporters after the meeting.

He said there will be a high-powered 27-member advisory council with the Housing Minister as its chief. This council will give policy support to various institutions that are now involved in land management in the country.

The cabinet Secretary said a 25-member executive council will also be constituted with the Housing Secretary as its head.

He said there is a provision of five years’ imprisonment in the bill with a fine of Tk 50 lakh as the highest punishment for violating the law.

The cabinet also approved in principle the draft of ‘The Textile Act, 2017’ aiming to bring the textile industry under a legal framework as industries are running under administrative orders of the government, said Shafiul Alam.

All the industries related to textiles like garment factories, production and marketing industries of textiles must be registered with the Directorate of Textiles, he said adding that the Directorate will look after, supervise and monitor textile industries.

The cabinet also gave a nod in principle to the draft of ‘The Expatriate Welfare Board Act, 2017’ in line with other international laws and the international convention on protection of migrants and their family members.

The draft bill has given a legal framework to the issue of getting necessary assistance and cooperation by expatriate Bangladeshis, including female migrants, when they will be in trouble like illness and death, Shafiul Alam said.

He added that authorities concerned will have to extend legal or other kind of assistance in favour of expatriate Bangladeshis to realise compensation for any kind of his or her loss.

The meeting also endorsed in principle the draft of ‘The Pesticides Bill, 2017’ giving the Pesticide Ordinance-1979 and its amended versions of 2007 and 2009 a legal framework making them more time-befitting ones.

The cabinet also approved the draft of an agreement to be signed between Bangladesh and India over orbit frequency coordination of South Asia Satellite proposed at 48'E.

The meeting also approved the proposal for signing Joint Interpretative Notes as the supplementary part of the agreement between Bangladesh and India on bilateral capital investment development and protection.

It also approved the draft of amended policy for giving grant to the research fellowship and innovative works.