DHAKA, July 24, 2017 (BSS)-The Cabinet today approved a proposal for ratification of the Preferential Trade Agreement among D-8 Member states.
The approval was given in the weekly meeting of the cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam said D-8, a forum of eight Muslim countries, signed the agreement at a ministerial- level meeting in 2006. But its ratification was hanging in the balance.
The cabinet, after a long negotiation, has given the nod for signing of the agreement, said the cabinet secretary.
Shafiul Alam said the cabinet sent back the draft of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Act, 2017 as the cabinet has given some observations for its recasting. The cabinet also asked the Information Ministry to place the draft again in the cabinet after necessary corrections and revisions.
Cabinet Secretary said at the beginning of the meeting a report of the Cabinet Division on the comparative description of implementing the cabinet decisions taken in the April-June quarter of 2017 and 2016 were placed before the cabinet.
According to the report, the cabinet in nine sittings during April to June in 2017 has taken 74 decisions. Of the decisions, 53 were implemented and 21 remain under the process of implementation. During the period, two policies/strategies and 11 memorandums of understanding (MoU) singed with other countries were given approval. Apart from these, the cabinet also gave approval to five laws passed in the parliament.
During the corresponding period of 2016, the cabinet in its 11 meetings had taken 92 decisions. Of the decisions, 65 have been implemented.
During the time, two policies/strategies as well as nine MoU were approved by the cabinet. At the same time, the parliament enacted 20 legislations.