Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked all ministers, if they were staying in Dhaka, to assure their presence during the parliament sessions.
She made the directive at the regular cabinet meeting yesterday, one of the ministers who attended the meeting told the Dhaka Tribune.
The ministers were also asked to do their official work, if it was necessary, at their parliament office when the House resumes.
The minister also said Finance Minister AMA Muhith came up with the Bangladesh Bank’s governor’s statement on the use of foreign exchange reserves for the construction of the Padma Bridge.
Central bank Governor Atiur Rahman said the central bank would not make any direct disbursement from the foreign exchange reserve. It would instead provide support, so that the banks concerned faced no problems with collecting the foreign currency against the budget allocation, he added.
The minister said the government was adamant it was going to construct the Padma Bridge from local finances, as most of the investors like the Jica and the World Bank were not interested in investing in the project.
The finance minister said the expenditure of the project would come from local foreign exchange reserves, adding that it would not affect the foreign exchange reserves as the government would provide money from the budgetary allocations.
Meanwhile, the premier also asked the agriculture minister and others concerned to take steps to save this year’s potato crop, and to assure its price.
Atiur said they would remain alert so that there was no volatility in the inter-bank foreign exchange market once Agrani Bank started purchasing foreign currency for the project.
The central bank also intended to make some advance payments to the contractor and the consultant, which will take most of the $200m foreign exchange required for this Fiscal Year.
Hasina also suggested that the ministers concerned amend the Mobile Court Act, as it could contain some new provisions which could reduce crimes in the country.