Cabinet approves the draft of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) Act, 2016

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

The draft of the CDA act, framed revising the current framework of 1959, also proposed for more stringent action against its chairman, members and officials for their involvement in any business with the development authority.

In addition, the cabinet in Monday's meeting approved in principle drafts of the 'Housing and Building Research Institute Act, 2016' and 'The Bangladesh Veterinary Council Act, 2016', cabinet secretary M Shafiul Alam said during a briefing after the meeting.

For doing business with CDA, a sitting chairman, member or official may face two years of imprisonment or fine of Taka 10 lakh or both instead of facing more liberal action under section 168 of the penal code now, the draft proposed.

The Cabinet Secretary said the new CDA law has been made keeping consistency with the recently framed laws for development of Cox's Bazar and Rajshahi.

The draft proposed raising the fine to Taka five lakh from Taka 200 for demolition of any boundary wall, pillar of street light, the cabinet secretary said.

The draft proposed a fine of Taka 50,000 to five lakh against a person for failure or declining to remove any establishment, wall or building fully or partially according to the agreement with CDA.

Penalty of Taka 10 lakh has also been proposed for misuse of the land of CDA master plan which initially was Taka 1,000 and later Taka 50 every day.

The cabinet secretary said at the beginning of the meeting the Cabinet adopted two obituary resolutions expressing profound shock at the death of member of 10th Jatiya Sangsad Monjurul Islam and judge of the Appellate Division Justice Bazlul Rahman.

Shafiul Alam said the 'Housing and Building Research Institute Act, 2016' will replace the 'Housing and Building Research Institute Ordinance-1977 and the Veterinary Council Act, 2016' will replace the current ordinance on veterinary council frame in 1982.

In compliance with the Supreme Court order, drafts of both the laws were prepared in Bengali with minor changes, he said.

The draft of the 'Housing and Building Research Institute Act, 2016' proposed for upgrading the status of the head of the institute to Director General from Director.

The institute will have a 20-member Council headed by the minister or state minister in charge of the Housing Ministry and with an Executive Committee head called the DG for regular functions.

The Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and it is entrusted with the tasks to promote technical and scientific studies and research on various problems of building construction and building materials industries and of human settlement as a whole.

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol