DHAKA, Sept 11, 2017 (BSS) – The Cabinet today approved a proposal for signing the “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons”, a legally binding instrument of the UN prohibiting nuclear weapons.
The approval was given in the weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat, Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on behalf of Bangladesh will sign the treaty during the 72nd UN General Assembly (UNGA) this month.
The UNGA adopted the treaty in July this year in accordance with UN General Assembly resolution 71/258 to frame a legally binding instrument which includes a comprehensive set of prohibitions on participating in any nuclear weapon activities.
The cabinet secretary said 122 member states of the UN including Bangladesh agreed to sign the treaty.
The Cabinet Secretary said the Cabinet also approved the draft of an “Air Services Agreement between Bangladesh and United Arab Emirates” renewing the previous agreement signed in March 1988.
Under the agreement, the countries would allow their public and private airlines to operate flights between the two countries. The agreement will have both Bangla and Arabic versions, the cabinet secretary said.
The Civil Aviation Authority of a country will have the power to cancel operation of an airline in case of failure to obey the rules, the agreement said.
Shafiul Alam said the cabinet was informed of the preparations of Bangladesh to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At the beginning of the meeting, the cabinet adopted a resolution expressing profound shock at the death of renowned singer Abdul Jabbar.