The Cabinet on Thursday approved in principle the draft bill of the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Allowances) (Amendment) Act, 2026, scrapping the duty-free vehicle facility for lawmakers in view of the current economic realities.

The approval was given at the fifth Cabinet meeting held at the Cabinet room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban at 8:30pm, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair, according to a Cabinet Division press release.

At present, MPs enjoy the facility of importing duty-free vehicles under the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Allowances) Order, 1973.

The approved draft removes that provision considering the current economic realities and in light of the Prime Minister’s 'far-sighted approach'.

The Cabinet also gave policy approval to bring the Purbachal New Town project area under Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Dhaka WASA.

It also approved incorporating parts of the project area currently under Rupganj of Narayanganj and Kaliganj of Gazipur into Dhaka district.

The move aims to ensure better civic services, including birth and death registration, trade licences, waste management, road maintenance, street lighting and mosquito control, as well as improved law enforcement and utility services.

The Cabinet also approved a proposal to change the date of National Tea Day from June 4 to May 21, aligning it with the International Tea Day observed globally.

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been observing May 21 as International Tea Day since 2020, and several tea-producing countries follow the same date.

The Cabinet approved amendments to remove the upper age limit for appointing the chairman and commissioners of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC).

Currently, the maximum age limit is 65, which has been seen as a barrier to appointing experienced professionals. The amendment aims to allow more flexibility in selecting qualified individuals.

A similar amendment was also approved for the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority, removing the existing upper age limit of 67 for appointing its chairman and members.

Officials said many countries in Asia do not impose such age limits on regulators, and the change will help attract skilled and experienced candidates.

The meeting discussed a total of five agenda items and approved all of them.