Cabinet approves draft of District Council (Amendment) Act- 2016

The cabinet also approved a Revised Strategic Transport Plan (STP), 2015-2035 and Urban Transport Policy 2015 and draft of the Institutional Development Report 2015.

The approval was given at the regular meeting of the cabinet held at Prime Minister's Office (PMO) with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing reporters at Bangladesh Secretariat after the meeting Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam said the previous law had some ambiguity about formation of the electoral college. The new law has made it clear; he said adding that it would be amalgamated in an ordinance very soon.

According to the law, the cabinet secretary said, an electoral college would be formed to elect the 21-member body of the district council including its chairman. The electoral college would be constituted with all elected representatives of different local government bodies of the district, he said.

The District Council (Amendment) Act-2016 has also brought changes in few areas of the original act passed in 2000 which include mandatory provision of giving name of mother for identification of the candidate.

The law has included a provision for suspension of a chairman or member of the district council on criminal charge. The law suggested for a fine of highest Taka 50,000 and maximum six month imprisonment or both for violating any clause of the election code of conduct.

About the revised STP, the cabinet secretary said, Road Transport and Highways Division has placed the 20-year transport plan which incorporated the provisions of MRT, BRT, inner, middle and outer ring roads, eight redial roads, six expressways, 21 transportation hubs (terminal) and circular waterways surrounding Dhaka.

The revised STP also proposed for development of traffic safety and traffic management and reconstitution of the city public transport system through route rationalization, formation of companies of operators and relocation of the bus terminals.

The cabinet secretary said the new STP plan proposed for construction of a new highway from Baorbhita of Munsiganj to Kaikartek Narayanganj after opening of the Padma Bridge for traffic. The strategic plan also suggested for completion of the road from eastern side the Balu River to middle of the western side of Dhaka Bypass road before beginning of construction of the MRT line.

At the beginning, the cabinet unanimously adopted an obituary resolution expressing condolence at the death of AFM Mohitul Islam, petitioner of Bangabandhu murder case, freedom fighter and deputy director of directorate of disaster management and eminent poet and Ekushey Padak laureate Shahid Qadri.