DHAKA, June 25, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the
concerned authorities to ensure proper execution of the provision of five-
hour driving time of the transport drivers on highways.
She also asked for keeping arrangement of alternative driver, rest room and
service center in a specific distance on the highways to avert unwanted road
accidents.
While discussing in the weekly meeting of the cabinet on the recent surge
of road accidents across the country and loss of lives, the prime minister
asked the concerned authorities to stop abrupt road crossing of the
pedestrians and make the signaling system effective.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Md. Shafiul Alam
said the cabinet at the very onset of the today’s meeting discussed the
traffic management system.
He said the prime minister has given some specific directives to check road
accident which includes giving training to the drivers and helpers, keeping
provision of alternative driver for long distance journey.
The premier also asked for making zebra crossing mandatory for pedestrians
to pass the road and fastening seat belt for drivers and passengers while
traveling, directing three ministers to monitor the road transport management
system.
Ministers for home, road transport and shipping will monitor the traffic
management system and hold meetings time to time for overseeing the execution
of the directives of the Prime Minister, the cabinet secretary said.
The cabinet also congratulated Bangladesh Women Cricket Team for securing
champion in the 7th Asia Cup T-20 Cricket Tournament defeating India by three
wickets in the final match held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on June 10, 2018
and bringing first ever such international honour for the country.
The cabinet in today’s meeting gave final approval to the draft of the
‘National Skills Development Authority Act, 2018’ aimed at development
of the efficiency and ability of the workforce to accomplish any specific
tasks of producing goods and services as per the standard of the local and
foreign job markets.
The authority will prepare a national skills development strategy
and policy to create efficient manpower for local and overseas markets,
formulate curriculum and training manuals for public and private
organisations and coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the manuals for
their execution.
The authority will be constituted with an executive chairman and four
members to be appointed by the government. The executive committee will be
headed by the principal secretary to the Prime Minister’s office, the cabinet
secretary said.
The authority will also have a high-powered governing body, led by the
Prime Minister as chairperson, Finance Minister as vice-chairman and
ministers or state ministers in charge of the ministries of industries,
public administration, education, overseas employment, labour and employment
as members.
The cabinet has given nod to the ‘Fertilizer Management (Amendment) Act,
2018’ with tougher provisions of punishment for producing, importing and
trading of fertilizer without registration.
According to the new law, a 17-member National Fertilizer Standardisation
Committee, head by agriculture secretary as chairman and a representative of
the Industries Ministry as member, will look into the quality of fertilizer.
The new law suggested two years of imprisonment and fine of Taka five
lakh or both for producing, importing, trading, carrying and storage of
fertilizer without registration, which is now six months jail and Taka 30,000
fine.