The cabinet on Thursday refused to approve three proposals, instead returning them back to the ministries concerned for further review.
The proposals are Textile and Garments Industries Board Act, Amending the existing Building Construction Act-2008, and Formation of Interim Building Construction Committee and Bangladesh Higher Education Commission Act.
“The proposals were tabled before the cabinet meeting on Thursday for approval but the meeting sent them back to ministries concerned for further review with some observations,” Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters after the meeting.
The cabinet meeting was held at the secretariat on Thursday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Textile and Garments Industries Board Act
The cabinet secretary said the ministry of jute and textile placed the proposed draft of the Textile and Garments Industries Board Act before the cabinet.
“The cabinet agreed with the ministry to monitor activities of garment and textile industries through a proper coordination but it refused to approve the act. It decided to return the act for further update and review,” he added.
The draft was also placed before the cabinet earlier, he said, but it was not approved.
He also said the cabinet had instructed the ministry to see if the formation of a separate board to monitor the activities of garment and textiles industries is needed as there were few cabinet bodies to take care of the sector.
“The Inspectorate of Labour is working in this regard. The cabinet suggested the activities of it be strengthened,” he said. A minister who attended the meeting said the finance minister and textile minister were locked in a debate over the approval of the textile and garment industry board.
The finance minister directly opposed and insisted the cabinet should not approve the proposal.
But the textile minister strongly urged the cabinet to pass it, saying: “We don’t understand English but understand the voice of people. So, it should be approved to protect the right of the industry.”
The proposal was not passed as other members of the cabinet sided with the finance minister. The prime minister tackled the debate, switching the agenda immediately.
Amending the Existing Building Construction Act, 2008
The state minister for housing and public works placed the proposal for Amending the Existing Building Construction Act-2008 and Formation of Interim Building Construction Committee.
If the proposal is approved, the interim building construction committee will have the authority to approve designs and plans for constructing buildings in rural areas and district towns of the country in place of city corporations, municipalities and union parishads.
But the cabinet opposed the proposal for providing full authority to the committee over the city corporations, municipalities and union parishads.
The cabinet, however, agreed to form an interim building construction committee for approving the designs and plans for constructing important and high-rise buildings in those areas, the cabinet secretary said.
The draft proposal was returned to the ministry with the instruction to place it before the cabinet after inclusion of the authority of the local government bodies.
Bangladesh Higher Education Commission Act
The draft proposal of Bangladesh Higher Education Commission Act was also returned to the education ministry for further analysis and improvement according to laws of the neighbouring countries.
The draft act was prepared, changing the name of University Grant Commission and amending some provisions of the law, the cabinet secretary said.