The rally announced by the employees of Bangladesh Secretariat for Wednesday inside the Secretariat to press home a nine-point demand has been postponed. Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees United Council president Md. Badiul Kabir announced the decision on Sunday at a press briefing following a meeting with the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration and the Land Secretary at the Secretariat. The council had earlier planned the rally to demand financial benefits for ‘long-deprived’ officials, a 50% dearness allowance until a new pay commission is formed, reinstatement of the time scale and selection grade, reintroduction of rationing, an increase in the retirement age, changes to designations, and timely promotions. Deputy Governor Nurun Nahar removed from 2 key departments Kabir said, "Tensions has been rising within the Secretariat. Our demands were acknowledged as logical during discussions with the Public Administration Secretary, Land Secretary, and other senior officials. They assured us that these issues would be addressed in phases through dialogue. Thus, we have decided to suspend the rally." Senior Secretary of the Public Administration Ministry Md. Mokhlesur Rahman said over 2,000 administrative and personal staff members at the Secretariat have long been deprived of pay raises and promotions. HC acquits Tarique Rahman, others in Aug 21 grenade attack cases "The nine demands are reasonable and achievable though fulfilling some will take time. While certain issues can be resolved immediately, others require long-term planning," he said. Land Secretary ASM Saleh Ahmed said, "We discussed the employees' demands and will implement them in phases. However, some legal complexities require consultations with the Chief Adviser."

The officials and employees of Bangladesh Secretariat have announced a demonstration inside the Secretariat next Wednesday to press a nine-point demand, including pay scale adjustments, removal of inequalities and improved benefits. The decision was announced on Thursday during a rally organized by the Secretariat Officials and Employees Joint Council led by its president Md Badiul Kabir. Announcing a general assembly next Wednesday, Kabir said, “We are protesting to achieve our demands. We urge to implement our demands without delay.” The demands include the formation of a National Pay Commission, reducing the number of pay grades from 20 to 10, implementing a 50 percent dearness allowance before rolling out the full Pay Commission, upgrading the 20th-grade positions (office assistants) to the 17th grade and 10th grade to 9th grade. Their other demands are: restoring the time-scale and selection grade system for all grades, introducing a 100 percent pension gratuity scheme, exempting annual incomes up to Tk 5 lakh from tax, increasing the retirement age from 59 to 62 and offering Secretariat employees allowances similar to those at the President's office and rationing facilities akin to the Defense Ministry. The rally also demanded the removal of a joint secretary accused of delays and misconduct in addressing their grievances. Garment workers block Dhaka-Tangail highway in Gazipur over unpaid wages The council called for the cancellation of discriminatory orders imposed during the previous regime and the implementation of seniority-based promotions. The event was attended by the council’s secretary general Md Nizam Uddin Ahmed and presided over by Md Badiul Kabir.  

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Monday warned that the government will take stern action against anyone found hoarding rice stocks. He told the corporate organizations that they should refrain from buying paddy by competing in the market. From a national tragedy to technological triumph: Sajeeb Wazed’s journey in Bangladesh’s transformation The minister was talking at a meeting with the representatives of six corporates of the country in his office at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday afternoon. The food minister said, "I had a meeting with the millers and they said that the corporates are competing and are buying paddy and stocking it." "They (millers) point the finger at you. We want to know the real facts," the minister added. Mild cold wave sweeps Rangpur, Rajshahi divs, some districts: Met Office He said that rice is available in the market under different brand names, on which the maximum retail price is written. "We also want the attachment of the millers' price. If so, retailers cannot raise prices suddenly or unreasonably," he mentioned. Food Secretary Ismail Hossain said that regular monitoring is being carried out to see if anyone is buying paddy or rice for illegal stockpiling. “If someone tries to store beyond the capacity, we will review the storage capacity if necessary.” Woman crossing the road dies after truck hits her in Dhaka’s Demra Representatives of City Group, Square, Pran RFL, Meghna Group, ACI and Akiz Essential participated in the meeting. At that time, they agreed to write the price of the millers on the sack and assured their full cooperation.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday directed the Home Minister to hunt down those who were involved in the recent communal attacks in the country and take stern action against them. “She has again given a clear instruction to the Home Minister to take stern action against those who were behind the incidents as soon as possible completing investigations,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam replying to a question at a briefing after the virtual Cabinet meeting. Read: Rangpur: 1 arrested in Joypurhat under DSA, 42 for arson He said the religious and political personalities were simultaneously requested to raise public awareness and not to react to anyone’s small twist of act. The Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet meeting joining it from her official residence Ganobhaban. Other cabinet members were connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat.

PCR testing booths will be set up at Bangladesh’s three international airports to facilitate passengers to take Covid-19 test four to six hours before boarding their flights, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam. The directive came from a virtual cabinet meeting held on Monday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair who joined it from her official residence Ganobhaban, Anwarul Islam said.  Read: RU student volunteers to engage Gram Bangla on Covid-19 Other cabinet members were connected with the meeting from the Bangladesh Secretariat. “A good number of countries imposed a condition for travellers to take PCR test 4, 6 or 8 hours ahead of flying, the authorities were asked to install PCR machines within the next two or three days,” said Anwar while briefing reporters after the meeting.

District administrations have been given the authority to enforce lockdown in their areas if the Covid-19 situation deteriorates there, the cabinet secretary said on Monday. The government has already given such an instruction to local administrations, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam at a press briefing after a virtual Cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. “Deputy commissioners, civil surgeons, chairmen and mayors have already been told that if they think the situation would be harmful (deteriorate) in any place, they can close down that area,” said Anwarul Islam. Read: Lockdown in Chapainawabganj extended for another week The ongoing lockdown in Chapainawabganj was enforced as per the suggestion from the field administration, he said. “We’ve told other district administrations that if they think it necessary, they can enforce a lockdown there. They also have authority to enforce lockdown only in bordering areas, not keeping the entire district under it (the restriction),” he said. Anwarul Islam made the remarks in reply to a question over the suggestion of the Directorate General of Health Services to bring seven bordering districts under the lockdown. Read:Variation between PCR and antigen test positivity rates hides true situation of Covid-19 in Chapainawabganj The prime minister joined the meeting from her official residence Ganobhaban, while other Cabinet members from the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of “Bangladesh Patent Bill, 2021”, aiming to make the century-old patent law a more time-befitting one.

The Cabinet on Monday gave the final approval to the draft of “The Bangladesh Tour Operators and Tour Guides (Registration and Operation) Bill, 2021”, making it mandatory for the tour operators and guides to get registered.

Bangladesh will get Covid-19 vaccines for some 4.5 crore people by May-June next year, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said Monday.

The government will initially provide three crore free doses of Covid-19 vaccine to the citizens of the country selecting the recipients following the protocol of the World Health Organisation (WHO).