Cabinet approves ‘The District Council Ordinance, 2016’

The approval was given at the regular 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 as per the amended law the district administrators could participate in the district council elections subject to their resignation from the post.

The cabinet secretary said the cabinet also okayed "The Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016" in the form of a law.

Alam said the cabinet gave a nod to the statute of South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN).

The cabinet secretary said the cabinet was apprised of the participation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the Fifth Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund (GF) held in Montreal, Canada on Sept 16-17.

Besides, it was informed of the participation of a Bangladesh delegation led by the prime minister in the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

At the outset of the meeting, Alam said, the cabinet adopted two condolence motions -- one at the death of versatile poet and writer Syed Shamsul Haque and another at the deaths of 39 people in the Trampaco fatctory fire at Tongi BSCIC Estate in Gazipur.

The cabinet secretary said the cabinet also adopted a felicitation motion by congratulating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her receiving the "Planet 50-50 Champion" and "Agent of Change Award" for her outstanding contributions to women empowerment.

The UN-Women recognized the prime minister as "Planet 50-50 Champion", while Global Partnership Forum handed over the "Agent of Change Award" to her at a high-level reception at the UN Plaza at the UN Headquarters in New York on Sept 21.

Alam said the cabinet adopted another felicitation motion by congratulating Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Information and Communication Technology Adviser to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as he was honoured with ICT for Development Award for his far-reaching initiatives in setting Bangladesh on the road to digital world.

The World Organization of Governance and Competitiveness, the Plan Trifinio, the Global Fashion for Development and the School of Business of the University of New Haven, Connecticut, the USA handed over the award to Joy at a function titled "High-Level reception in support of the first anniversary of the adoption of the UN sustainable development goals, the importance of ICT competitiveness as a tool for sustainable development" at a hotel in New York on Sept 19.

Ministers and state ministers concerned attended the meeting, while secretaries concerned were present at the cabinet meeting.