Dhaka, Sept 6, 2021 (BSS) - The Cabinet today approved a proposal on
extension of the Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special
Provision) Act-2010 for five more years till 2026.

   The approval came from a weekly meeting held virtually with Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

   The Premier joined the meeting from her official residence Ganabhaban
while her cabinet colleagues got connected from the cabinet division of the
Bangladesh Secretariat.

   In a briefing following the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul
Islam said, "The proposed law was brought to extend five more years the
tenure of the existing law which is going to expire this year while its
effectiveness is quite satisfactory."

   He said that the cabinet gave final consent to the draft of Quick
Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provision) (Amendment)
Bill, 2021.

   The bill was brought to make sure uninterrupted supply of electricity and
energy to support the government move to turn Bangladesh into a higher
middle-income country by 2030 and a developed one by 2041.

  He added that the tenure of the special provision enacted in 2010 and was
extended several times earlier.

  The cabinet secretary said no change except time extension has been made to
the proposed law.

  The cabinet also gave final approval to the draft of Public Debt Bill, 2021
to make the existing law time-befitting.

  Anwarul Islam also said the Public Debt Act, 1944 is a very old law and was
extended several times since the debt system witnessed a radical change,
adding that, the Finance Division designed the new law.

   He said the proposed law assured the people of a guarantee that the
government will pay the debt they will take from the people.

   The cabinet secretary said a new provision was also incorporated in the
proposed law that allows running a Shariah-based deposit system alongside the
normal one.

   He added that if anyone provides false information in obtaining the issued
certificates under the government security and saving certificate schemes, he
or she would face maximum six-month imprisonment and Taka one lakh fine or
both.

   The meeting also approved in principle the draft of Bangladesh Police
(Subordinate Employees) Welfare Fund Bill, 2021 to replace an ordinance of
the military regime.