Cabinet
Cabinet approves amendment to legalize digital evidences
The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of ‘Evidence (Amendment) Act, 2022’ incorporating the admissibility of digital evidences by the court.
The approval came at the Cabinet’s meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who joined it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Other cabinet members were connected from the cabinet room of the Cabinet Division in Bangladesh Secretariat.
“The digital evidences will be accepted from now as per the proposed law,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters after the meeting.
Also read: Consider maximum cut in import VAT on edible oil: Cabinet directs NBR
He said evidence, documents and such other things were coming online after the inception of digital or online trials of cases amid the Covid-19 pandemic. There is nothing directly about online or digital evidence in the existing Evidence Act, he said.
With the existing law, many legal complicacies might appear if any aggrieved person files a petition with the higher court, challenging the verdict of the lower court in case of acceptance of digital evidence or documents, he said.
In the draft law, a provision was kept for making forensic examination of digital evidence. “If the court thinks necessary or any party of the case doubts about the authenticity of such evidence, these can be gone through forensic examination,” said the Cabinet secretary.
He said sufficient laboratories are there in the country for forensic examination of digital evidence and BCC has also very high technology in this regard. The government might spread the laboratories and technology to convenient places of the country for the sake of submission of digital evidence, he said.
The submission of false or manipulated evidence would be punished as per the laws concerned.
“If anyone twists (tampers) evidence, the persons will be dealt with as per the section 211 of the Penal Code or the section 57 of the Digital Act,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
Besides, the Cabinet in principle approved the draft of ‘Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) Act, 2022’ with a provision of a monthly special allowance of Tk 70,000 for a retired judge.
The special allowance will be given to meet expenses against different purposes like his domestic help, car diver, house guard and maintenance of office cum residence, said Anwarul.
“The draft law was brought to formulate a law repealing an ordinance of the military regime as per a judgment of the high court,” he said.
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The proposed law will replace the Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) Ordinance, 1982.
Besides, the Cabinet rejected another proposal to incorporate a provision in the draft law that the State would provide security to a retired chief justice till a certain period.
It was argued that there is no such provision in other countries. “If the government thinks, it can provide such security to a retired chief justice with an executive order. So, the proposal was not agreed,” he said.
The Cabinet gave the final approval to the draft of Abandoned Houses (Supplementary Provisions) Act, 2022 keeping a provision that the confiscated properties of a convicted war criminal would be treated as abandoned assets.
The existing law is also an ordinance of 1985. Since it was promulgated during the military regime, the new law had to be brought as per the judgment of the High Court. “Few small changes were made here,” said the Cabinet secretary.
“If anyone is convicted in a war criminal case and the court seizes his or her property, these will be considered as abandoned property under the proposed law,” he said.
Besides, the final authority was given to the head of the government instead of the government in case of disposal of anything regarding high-valued buildings like those in Gulshan, Banani and Dhanmondi, he said.
The draft law was placed to replace the Abandoned Buildings (Supplementary Provisions) Ordinance, 1985.
The meeting also gave the final approval to the draft of ‘Zakat Fund Management Act, 2022’ to repeal an ordinance of the military regime.
“As per the draft law, there would be a Zakat fund board under the supervision of Islamic Foundation to collect and distribute Zakat,” said the Cabinet secretary.
Consider maximum cut in import VAT on edible oil: Cabinet directs NBR
The Cabinet on Monday directed the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to take immediate steps to curtail the VAT on edible oil import to the lowest ceiling in the wake of the rising price of the essential item.
The directive came from the Cabinet’s meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who joined it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Read: Man arrested by DMP for stockpiling Soybean oil
Other ministers were connected from the cabinet room of the Cabinet Division in Bangladesh Secretariat.
The government has already waived VAT at the retailer-level as the law minister told the meeting that he signed the paper (SRO) in this regard, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam told reporters after the meeting.
“There is now 15 per cent VAT on edible oil at the import level. The NBR was directed to consider slashing it as much as possible until further order and take immediate action in this regard,” he said.
Cabinet purchase body okays procurement of 60,000 MTs fertilizer
The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase at a virtual meeting on Wednesday approved two separate proposals to procure 60,000 metric tons (MTs) of fertilizers.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting while members of the committee attended it.
As per the proposals, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture will import 30,000 MTs of TSP fertilizer from OCP, SA of Morocco at a cost of Tk 182.06 crore while the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under Ministry of Industries will also procure 30,000 MTs of bagged granular urea fertilizer from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Limited (Kafco) at a cost of Tk 172.15 crore.
The BCIC will also procure 25,000 MTs of Rock Phosphate for state-owned Chattagram TSP Complex Limited.
READ: Cabinet purchase body clears procurement of huge wheat, fertiliser
Agro Industrial Input, Dhaka will supply the rock phosphate from Wilson International Trading Pvt Ltd, Singspore at a cost of Tk 78.52 crore.
A proposal of the Local Government Engineering Depart (LGED) received the nod of the Cabinet body to appoint the Joint Venture of (1) DOHWA Engineering Co. Ltd., Korea and (2) Development Design Consultants Ltd. Bangladesh as a consultant for its “Western Economic Corridor & Regional Enhancement Program (WeCARE) Phase-1” at a cost of Tk 59.74 crore.
Make overseas employment process transparent, PM asks ministry
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday directed the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry to make the overseas employment process very transparent and conduct massive campaign to raise the jobseekers’ awareness.
She asked authorities concerned to promote overseas jobseekers to take loans from Probashi Kallyan Bank instead of selling lands to go abroad.
Sheikh Hasina gave the directives while chairing the virtual Cabinet meeting from her official residence Ganobhaban.
The other concerned were connected with the meeting from the Bangladesh Secretariat.
“The Prime Minister has instructed that the process will have to be made very precise and transparent for those who would go abroad,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters at the Secretariat after the meeting.
Also read: 90pc Cabinet’s decisions implemented in 3 years
“The Prime Minister also instructed to carry out massive campaign in media – television channels, radios and newspapers—informing them (overseas jobseekers) about the exact authority and the amount of expense and asking them to go abroad taking loans from Probashi Kallyan Bank, if they need money, as the bank doesn’t provide a loan without job confirmation letters. So, they will be safe… they will not be deceived,” he said.
The ministry also asked to take steps so that Bangladeshi workers need not to pay extra money for getting the overseas jobs and they can go abroad contacting the ministry and its directorates concerned, said the Cabinet Secretary.
Because, many Bangladeshi workers go abroad making direct payment and knowing nothing about the jobs upon assurance by a class of middlemen, he said adding some such cases were also discussed in the Cabinet meeting.
“If they take loans from the bank instead of selling lands, the bank would not pay money until confirmation of their appointment. So, they would remain safe,” he added.
Some Bangladeshis went to Malaysia spending Tk 3-4 lakh, but many of them could not recovered their cost in two years and returned home empty handed, said Anwarul Islam.
Also read: Cabinet clears draft law over EC formation
In the meeting, the Prime Minister also instructed the authorities concerned to raise another issue before the jobseekers that tens of thousands of workers will be required in the 100 industrial parks including Mirsarai economic zone which are now being constructed at different places in the country.
In order to get a job with handsome income in the country, the jobseekers can be asked to build their capacity and take training knowing the job requirements in the industrial parks, she said.
The Cabinet approved in principle the draft of Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation Act, 2022, aiming to run the corporation under a time-befitting law.
The meeting also endorsed the draft of Bangladesh National Conservation Strategy 2021-2036, formulated in both Bengali and English in a bid to conserve the natural environment and resources properly.
“Some 10-12 ministries are involved here who will sit regularly to take plans as per the strategy and implement the programmes to protect our environment,” said Anwarul Islam.
Besides, the Cabinet approved the Import Policy Order, 2022-2025, aiming to make the policy a time-befitting one.
As per the policy, the retailers can import goods of maximum US$ 0.5 million instead of US$ 0.2 million through TT (Telegraphic Transfer of money) instead of LC.
90pc Cabinet’s decisions implemented in 3 years
Some 90 percent decisions, taken by the Cabinet in three years from January 2019 to December 2021, have been implemented, while the implementation of remaining 10 percent decisions is underway.
The Cabinet took a total of 689 decisions during the period. Of them, 615 have already been implemented and the implementation of 74 others is underway, according to a report placed at the Cabinet meeting held on Monday.
Read: Cabinet clears draft law over EC formation
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting, joining it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban, while the others concerned were connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat.
“The implementation rate of the cabinet’s decisions taken in the three years is 89.26 percent,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters at the Secretariat after the meeting.
Some 251 decisions (97.29pc) out of 258 decisions taken by the Cabinet in 2019 were implemented, while 232 ones (92.43pc) out of 251 decisions taken in 2020 were executed and 132 ones (73.33pc) out of 180 decisions taken in 2021 were implemented.
Read: Cabinet body okays extension of deals with 4 rental power plants
In the three months from October 2021 to December 2021, the Cabinet took 56 decisions. Of them, 34 decisions have already been executed and the implementation of remaining 22 ones is now underway.
DC conference starts Tuesday
The much-awaited annual conference of the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) begins on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to open it, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters at the Bangladesh Secretariat after the Cabinet meeting.
The Cabinet meeting was held at the Cabinet room of the Jatiya Sangsad with the Prime Minister in the chair.
The DC conference has already been shortened to a three-day one from five-day, which will take place at Osmani Memorial Auditorium instead of the meeting room in the Cabinet division due to the fresh surge of Covid-19, said the Cabinet Secretary.
Read: Cabinet clears draft law over EC formation
Amid the surge of new variant Omicron, only 15 ministers and secretaries of 15 ministries have been invited to the inauguration ceremony, he said.
Besides, the DCs have been asked to do the RT-PCR test along with his gunman, driver and companions before joining the conference, he said.
Anwarul Islam revealed that till now two divisional commissioners and five DCs became tested with Covid-19 positive.
They are divisional commissioners of Rajshahi and Barisal and DCs of Cox’s Bazar, Rajshahi, Patuakhali, Laxmipur and Chuadanga.
Replying to a question regarding the use of virtual platforms against the backdrop of fresh surge of Coronavirus, he said “We actually don’t want to use technology as the Prime Minister talks and gives advice here.”
In this connection, he said they have shifted the conference to Osmani Memorial Auditorium considering the Covid-19 situation and only 64 persons will be allowed to the venue although it has the capacity to accommodate 700 people.
The cabinet secretary said President Abdul Hamid will deliver a speech virtually on Tuesday evening while Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Choudhury and the Chief Justice are also scheduled to address it virtually on Wednesday.
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The issues including Covid-19, land management, law enforcement, strengthening activities of local government, disaster management, poverty reduction and employment at the local level, social safety net activities, ICT and e-governance, education, health, environment, physical infrastructure and development activities are expected to be highlighted during the three-day DC conference.
Cabinet clears draft law over EC formation
The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the ‘Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioner Appointment Act, 2022’ in order to have a law in this regard as per the Constitution.
The approval came from the Cabinet meeting held at the Cabinet Room of the Jatiya Sangsad with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
“Today, the final approval was given to a draft law over the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters at the Bangladesh Secretariat after the meeting.
As per the proposed law, a search committee will be formed taking approval from the President over the constitution of the Election Commission, he said.
“The search committee will recommend the names of suitable candidates before the President to appoint the CEC and other election commissioners,” he said.
Read: Dialogue before EC formation just a mockery, says BNP
The move came just one month before the expiry of five-year tenure of incumbent Election Commission, led by CEC KM Nurul Huda, as it is going to fulfill its five years in office in mid-February.
Talking about the qualification of CEC and election commissioners, the Cabinet Secretary said they must be Bangladeshi citizens with minimum 50 years of old, and have at least 20 years of work experience in important government, semi-government, private or judicial posts.
He said if a person is declared ‘insane’ by any court; has not been released from the jail after being declared as ‘bankruptcy’; acquires the citizenship of or affirms the allegiance to, a foreign country surrendering Bangladeshi citizenship; has been convicted for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude and sentenced to at least two-year imprisonment; convicted by international crime tribunal; and is disqualified for such posts by or under any law, he or she would not be eligible for the post of CEC and election commissioners.
Describing the last disqualification, he said if a person once held the post of CEC or the Chief Justice, he or she would not be eligible for the post of the CEC. But if a person held the post of election commissioner, he or she might be considered for appointment to the CEC.
In order to give legal protection to the constitution of previous election commissions, it would be considered that these were made under this law, he said.
Anwarul Islam hoped that it would not take much time to make the proposed law into an act.
Also read: EC formation comes up prominently as govt briefs diplomats
Explaining further about the search committee, he said a justice of the Appellate Division, nominated by the Chief Justice, will be the head of the six-member committee.
The five other members will be a justice of the High Court Division nominated by the Chief Justice, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, two other personalities nominated by the President.
Though the Constitution suggests the appointment of the CEC and other election commissioners under a law, the law was not formulated in the past.
The Article 118 (1) of the Constitution states, “There shall be an Election Commission for Bangladesh consisting of 1[the Chief Election Commissioner and not more than four Election Commissioners] and the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (if any) shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf, be made by the President.”
In the past, the President appointed the CEC and commissioners in absence of the law.
The last two election commissions, headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed and KM Nurul Huda, were constituted through search committees formed by the President following his dialogues with political parties.
The President picked the CEC and four election commissioners in 2012 and 2017 from the names suggested by the search committee.
This time, President Abdul Hamid also started a dialogue with registered political parties on December 20 last to discuss the issues related to the constitution of the Election Commission ahead of the 12th general election to be held at the end of 2023 or the early 2024.
Besides, the Cabinet cleared the drafts of three laws -- Jatiya Muktijoddha Council Act, 2022, Bangladesh Gas, Oil and Mineral Corporation Act, 2022 and Anti-Inequality Act, 2022 (Boishomya Birodhi Aiyen) — as well as the draft of National Salt Policy, 2022.
One dose of vaccine must to attend schools: Cabinet Secretary
The students, aged above 12 or above, must receive at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine to attend schools and colleges, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam on Thursday.
“The Ministry of Education has already given instructions that no one can come to schools without getting vaccinated. The issue was discussed at an inter-ministerial meeting on January 3 and it was confirmed today,” he said while briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the virtual cabinet meeting, joining it from her official residence Ganobhaban, while others concerned got connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Replying to a question over the explanation of that decision, the cabinet secretary said the students, aged above 12, will have to receive at least one jab of the Covid-19 inoculation to attend schools and colleges.
Also read: Covid vaccine: Fakirhat becomes first upazila to jab 100% of eligible population
Cabinet body okays extension of deals with 4 rental power plants
The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase (CCPP) on Wednesday approved 5 proposals of the Power Division-four for extension of contracts with 4 gas-based rental power plants and one for setting up a new independent power producer (IPP) plant.
Another 7 proposals of different departments under different ministries also received approval of the CCPA.
Besides, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave nod to another proposal of the Power Division for signing an unsolicited contract for operation and maintenance of a public sector power plant.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the consecutive meetings of the two cabinet bodies where their respective members were present.
The four rental power plants which got the cabinet body approval are 50 MW Kumargaon power plant, 50 MW Fenchuganj plant, 20 MW power plant in Bogura and 53 MW Ashuganj power plant.
READ: Cabinet approves President’s draft speech to be delivered in Parliament
About the approvals, the finance minister said that state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will purchase electricity from them on “No Power, No Payment ” basis for which the government will have no obligation to buy power from the plants.
Of these, the contract with Energy Prima Ltd.’s 50 MW plant in Kumargaon will get extension for another one year till December 31 in 2022 at a cost of Tk 86.52 crore while the same company’s contract for 50 MW power plant in Fenchuganj will be extended for 3 years at a cost of Tk 278.64 crore, contract for 20 MW Bogura plant will be extended for 3 years at a cost of Tk 106.92 crore and United Energy Ltd’s contract for 53 MW Fenchuganj plant will get extension for another 5 years at a cost of Tk 451.20 crore.
The contracts with these companies were extended several times in the past, said additional secretary to the Cabinet Division Shamsul Arefin adding that this time the contracts will be extended at a lower tariff than that of previous contracts.
For instance, he said Kumargaon power plant's tariff was set at US 2.4691 Cents, equivalent to Tk 1.97 in the new contract while it was US 3.4737 Cents in the previous contract.
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The CCPA approved a proposal of the Consortium of (1) Confidence Power Holdings Ltd, (2) GE Capital US Holding Inc, (3) Confidence Power Ltd and (4) Electropac Industries Ltd for setting up a 660 MW base-load power plant as independent power producer (IPP) at Mirsarai of Chattagram.
The BPDB will purchase electricity from it for 22 years tenure at levelised tariff of US 3.679 Cents, equivalent to Tk 2.943 per kilowatt hour (each unit) if the plant runs through gas.
But if the plant runs through imported re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG), each unit’s levelised tariff will be US 6.69 Cents, equivalent to Tk 5.4368.
The BPDB will have to pay Tk 69,152.16 crore over the 22 years of contract period for purchase of electricity from the plant.
The committee approved a proposal of the Food Ministry to import 50,000 metric tons of wheat from Bagadiya Brothers Pvt. Ltd., India, at a cost of Tk 173.36 crore.
Directorate General of Family Planning’s proposal to procure 29.76 million oral pills from three drug companies at Tk 148 crore received the approval.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in principle approved a proposal of the BPDB to procure the operation and maintenance service of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for 4th unit of the Ghorasal Power Plant through direct procurement method.
Booster dose in Bangladesh: Authorities asked to work on a precise guideline
The Cabinet on Monday directed the authorities concerned, particularly the Health Minister and the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, to work on a precise guideline over the campaign of booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine in Bangladesh.
The directive came from a virtual meeting of the Cabinet in the wake of the rapidly transmissible variant ‘Omicron’ in different parts of the world.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting, joining it from her official residence Ganobhaban.
The other ministers and officials concerned were connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat.
“The technical committee and the Health Minister were instructed so that they remain ready for whether the booster dose would be given free or on payment and place a guideline following discussions,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters at the Secretariat after the meeting.
He said the Cabinet asked all to remain careful about Omicron as the new Covid-19 strain is spreading rapidly in the world.
“The Prime Minister repeatedly directed that we’ve to be very careful,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
He said the PM also instructed earlier the technical committee to work on a precise guideline over when the booster dose campaign needs to be started.
Since the world renowned scientists recommended booster doses to stay safe from Covid-19, the meeting asked all to keep focus on how the booster doses can be rolled out in Bangladesh, he said.
Mentioning that two people were detected with Omicron in Bangladesh, Anwarul Islam said both of them are men of Bangladesh Cricket Board, who entered the bio-secure bubble at Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon, directly from the Airport.
The duo did not come in close contact with anyone at the airport and their family members and any others, he said.
He said he has got a complete protocol over Omicron from his close friends and his spouse who are senior consultants in South Africa.
In the protocol, they said the variant spreads rapidly and its effect is not as dangerous as that of Delta strain, said the Cabinet Secretary.
Also read: Govt decides to administer Covid booster dose to above-60 citizens