DHAKA, Feb 27, 2023 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today directed the authorities concerned to distribute the Open Market Sales (OMS) goods through cards like Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). 

She came up with the directives at the cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister's Office (PMO) here. The premier presided over the meeting.
 
Later, Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain briefed reporters at the Secretariat here. 

He said as government noticed some lacking in the management of the ongoing OMS programme, the premier directed to improve the management system and distribute the goods through cards like TCB.

How the card will be given and who will get the cards, it will be finalized by holding meetings with the concerned ministry, the cabinet secretary said, adding that until launching of the cards, the OMS programme will be run following the current system.

In the meeting, the cabinet approved the proposal of issuing SRO to give dual citizenship facility to the Bangladeshis, who already got the citizenship of different countries across the world, Mahbub said. 

The government has also decided to increase the opportunity of dual citizenship for Bangladeshis, he said.
 
Currently, Bangladeshis are enjoying the dual citizenship facilities in 57 countries, including America and Europe, across the world, Mahbub said, as per the new decision, 44 more countries have been included in the list to facilitate the Bangladeshis to enjoy the dual citizenship in those countries.

Now the Bangladeshis could enjoy the dual citizenship in total of 101 countries across the globe, he said, adding that if Bangladeshis get citizenship of 44 newly included countries, they will not lose their citizenship of Bangladesh.

The new 44 countries include 19 countries of the African continent- Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Algeria, Sudan, Morocco, Ghana, Rwanda, Burundi, Tunisia, Sierra Leone, Libya, Congo, Liberia, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Gambia, Botswana and Mauritius; 12 countries of the South American continent- Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Surinam, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay and Guyana; 12 countries in the Caribbean region- Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Saint Vincent, Grenadines, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis; and a country in Oceania, Fiji.

Mahbub said the cabinet approved the draft of 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Act (amendment), 2023', which proposed for extending the tenure of the vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and treasurer of the university for one year.

He said the proposal has been made as the tenure of these offices is four years in other universities in the country. 

The cabinet also increased the total number of university's Syndicate members to 31 by creating one post for the Syndicate, the cabinet secretary said, adding that of the three syndicate members from Parliament Members nominated by the Speaker, one must be female.
 
Earlier, Director General (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) could be Syndicate member of the BSMMU, now the DG of Directorate General of Medical Education (DGME) also can be the Syndicate member. 

Mahbub said the cabinet meeting also approved more proposals, including the draft of 'Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan 2022-2041'. 

In line with the Delta Plan, he said, the plan has been taken to take climate issues into account for building the 'SMART Bangladesh' envisaged by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2041.

Noting that about US$80 billion will be needed to implement the plan, the cabinet secretary said, these money will come from the budgets of different ministries while US$50 million will add to the country's GDP by 2041.

The plan, however, will be reviewed in every five years, he added.

Mahbub said the cabinet also approved draft of the agreement titled 'Implementing Agreement between Qatar Armed Forces and Bangladesh Armed Forces Concerning Deputation (Secondment) of Officers and Military Personnel from Bangladesh Armed Forces to Qatar Armed Forces'. 

If this agreement gets final approval, 1,129 members of the armed forces will work in Qatar, like Kuwait. They will serve on deputation.