ZCZC
BSS-35
CABINET-WASTE-2-LAST
Describing Bangladesh Engineering Research Council Act, 2019 as a new law and new concept,
the cabinet secretary said, “We had no institution for engineering research like that for
agriculture and other sectors. It will promote engineering research as well as ensure standard
of technology for their pragmatic uses.”
According to the law, a 10-member governing body headed by a chairman will run the council
whereas it will have an advisory body headed by the Science and Technology Minister.
It also gave approval to the draft of the Bangladesh Lighthouse ACtl, 2019 brining few
amendments to the existing the Lighthouse Act, 1927 to make it time-befitting, he also said.
The cabinet was appraised-off Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visits to the New York in the
USA September 23 to September 28 and New Delhi in India from October 3 to 6.
During her first India visit after assuming office for the third consecutive term, the
premier joined the Indian Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum and held bilateral talks
with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
She also held meeting with President Shri Ram Nath Kovind, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
Heng Swee Keat and Indian National Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
A total of seven memorandums of understandings (MoUs) were signed, three projects were
jointly launched by the premier and her Indian counterpart in New Delhi.
During her eight-day New York visit, Sheikh Hasina attended the 74th Session of the United
Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
On the sidelines of the UNGA, she also held several bilateral meetings, including with Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General’s
Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development Dutch Queen Maxima and Co-chair of Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates.
She joined a number of high-level events on Universal Health Coverage, climate change
adaptation, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), foreign relations, the Rohingya crisis,
education and global drug problem.
The cabinet also greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for getting numbers of prestigious
awards such as ‘Tagore Peace Award 2018′ Unicef’s “Champion of Skill Development for Youth” and
Gavi’s “Vaccine Hero”and Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award-2019” for her
outstanding contribution to various fields.
The cabinet also greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she was placed in the list of longest
serving eminent female leaders in the world.
It also adopted a thanks giving motion congratulating Saima Wazed Hossain, chairperson of
Bangladesh National Advisory Committee for Autism and Neuro-developmental Disorders, and
daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as she has been listed among 100 “Innovative Women
Leaders in Global Mental Health.
Besides, the cabinet unanimously adopted a felicitation proposal for United Kingdom’s Labour
Party lawmaker and Sheikh Rehana’s daughter Tulip Siddiq as she has been ranked on the most
influential politicians’ list in London this year.
The cabinet was also apprised of foreign visits made by ministers including Home Minister
Asaduzzaman Khan’s visit to India from August 6 to 8.
During the visit, both the countries have agreed to conduct joint survey over the unsettled
issue of border demarcation at Muhurirchar in Feni district.
They also vowed continue joint efforts to combat terrorism, militancy, smuggling, human
trafficking and other trans-border crimes.
BSS/AHJ/SMM/1855 hrs