The cabinet on Thursday approved two draft laws to establish rural development academies in Jamalpur and Rangpur, one of them named after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The draft laws are titled,  'Sheikh Hasina Palli Unnayan Academy, Jamalpur Act, 2022' and 'Palli Unnayan Academy, Rangpur Act, 2022'.
 
The approval came at the Cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office here.
 
“Both the laws are the same. These laws were introduced to fulfill the need of more academies like Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) in Cumilla and Rural Development Academy (RDA) in Bagura to make the micro initiatives more effective for rural and overall development,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandkar Anwarul Islam at a press briefing at Bangladesh Secretariat.

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He said there are 23 sections in each of the draft laws and the two academies will be established following those according to the structures of BARD and RDA.
 
“A 21 membered board chaired by the minister, state minister or deputy minister of Rural Development and Co-operatives Division ,secretary of the division as vice-chairman and academy's director general as member secretary to execute the laws, rules and government regulations in establishing the academies,” said the cabinet secretary.
 
The academies will mainly work to increase the capacity of the government, conduct some pilot projects, research and will provide diploma courses, certificates by being affiliated with concerned educational institutes or boards if necessary, he said.
 
According to the draft laws, the board will meet once every four months, said Anwarul.
 
”The DG will be appointed by the government from the Joint Secretary or any of the above officers on definite conditions. The employees will be recruited in accordance with the recruitment rules of the board and the academy will have funds in a scheduled bank” he added.

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WHO to send 7.5 mln doses of Cholera vaccine
 
The Cabinet secretary said Bangladesh will get 7.5 million doses of cholera vaccines from World Health Organization (WHO) to control the diarrhea situation in the country.
 
He said, “The vaccines will reach Bangladesh within May 10 to 15 and receiving one dose of it will keep one immune for three years from cholera or diarrhea.”
 
 Anwarul Islam said such an outbreak has not been observed in Dhaka for the last 20 to 25 years.
 
 National volunteer policy to be made
 
The cabinet secretary said the PM has given  approval to the draft “ National volunteer policy 2022,” made by the Local Government on condition that the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief will lead activities in this regard.
 
He said “There are 68,000 volunteer registered organizations under the Department of Social Welfare. As a result of this policy, foreign volunteers will be able to come and work in our country if necessary and also our country's volunteers will also be able to go and work in different countries,”