Parliament
Fire extinguishing system to be installed at all hospitals: Minister
Dhaka, Jul 10 (UNB) – Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday said the government has taken an initiative to install fire extinguishing system at every hospital across the country.
JS passes Speedy Trial (Amendment) Bill
Dhaka, Jul 9 (UNB) - The Law and Order Disruption (Speedy Trial) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed in Parliament on Tuesday for extending its validity till 2024.
Mobile phone operators await tough action, warns minister
Dhaka, Jul 9 (UNB) – The government will take stern measures to realise outstanding money from all the mobile phone operators after completing the audits to calculate the government’s dues, said Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar on Tuesday in Parliament.
BNP, Gonoforum MPs included in 5 JS standing committees
Dhaka, Jul 9 (UNB) - Parliament on Tuesday reconstituted five parliamentary standing committees with BNP and Gonoforum MPs as members of the committees.
BNP MP for Brahmanbaria-2 Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan was included in the Business Advisory Committee.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury is chairman of the committee while Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition HM Ershad are also the members of the committee.
Abdus Sattar was also made member of the Committee on Private Member's Bills and Resolutions.
BNP's Chapai Nawabganj-3 MP M Harunur Rashid was made member of the House Committee, while its reserved seat MP Rumeen Farhana made member of the Standing Committee on the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The House also included Gonoforum MP Sultan Muhammed Mansur Ahmed as member of the Standing Committee of Privileges and its MP Mukabbir Khan made member of the Library Committee.
The committees were reconstituted responding to the proposal of chief whip Noor-e-Alam Chowdhrury.
Internet users hit 9.44 crore: Minister
Dhaka, Jul 9 (UNB) - Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar on Tuesday said the number of internet subscribers reached 9.44 crore as of May.
The minister said this in Parliament while replying to a starred question from ruling party MP M Abdul Latif.
He said the number of the country’s total internet users was 60 lakh in December 2008 and now it reached 9.44 crore.
The minister mentioned that the price of internet has significantly been cut in line with the rise in internet users in the country.
He also said the state-run Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) is providing internet services at reasonable prices.
Jabbar said the BTCL has reduced the price of internet bandwidth gradually at different times aimed at expanding the use of internet at all levels.
He mentioned that per mbps internet bandwidth charge was Tk 27,000 in 2008 and now it has been reduced to Tk 180.
No political influence in rice, paddy procurement: Minister
Dhaka, July 8 (UNB) - Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Monday told Parliament that there was no influence from ruling Awami League or any presence of syndicate during rice and paddy procurement this year.
JS passes Bangladesh Veterinary Council Bill
Dhaka, July 7 (UNB) - Bangladesh Veterinary Council Bill, 2019 was passed in Parliament on Sunday to maintain the professional standard of veterinary practitioners and extend quality healthcare services for fighting animal diseases.
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock M Ashraf Ali Khan Khosru moved the Bill and it was passed by voice vote.
The proposed law will be enacted through replacing the Bangladesh Veterinary Practitioners Ordinance, 1982.
A 13-member council will be formed headed by the Director General of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) and the operation and administration of the council will be operated by an executive committee.
The council will establish the legal right and facilities of the veterinary practitioners and paravets.
Registered veterinary practitioners are entitled to add ‘doctor’ title with their names, but the paravets are not entitled to add ‘doctor’ title with their names as per the proposed law, according to the bill.
If anyone gets involved in veterinary practice without registration and certificate, he/she will be imprisoned for three years or fined maximum Tk 2 lakh or both.
Two years of imprisonment or Tk 5 lakh fine or both will be applicable if any institute runs veterinary education without approval from the council or runs any veterinary clinic or diagnostic centre.
9th Wage Board remains to be declared ‘soon’
Dhaka, Jul 7 (UNB)- The 9th wage board for journalists and employees of newspapers and news agencies will be declared soon.
State Minister for Information Dr M Murad Hasan, in absence of Information Minister Mohammed Hasan Mahmud, said this in the Parliament while responding to a question of treasury bench MP Abul Kalam M Ahsanul Haque Chowdhury.
He also said that a seven-member cabinet committee led by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader was formed to scrutinise the report of the Wage Board.
He said that the cabinet committee already held meetings with all the stakeholders.
Responding to a supplementary question of Jatiya Party MP Pir Fazlur Rahman, the minister said that the internet news portal owners were asked to submit application with the ministry by July 15 for getting registration.
He said the eligible news portals will get registered by the ministry after scrutinizing the applications.
He also said that the ministry also will take necessary steps to control 'fake and defamatory' news by news portals.
He said that the ministry is monitoring contents of print, electronic and internet news portals to check the 'fake' news.
Responding to another question by Awami League MP Ali Azam, the minister said that number of registered newspapers in the country is 3,128.
Animal Welfare Bill passed
Dhaka, July 7 (UNB) - A bill titled Animal Welfare Bill 2019 was passed in Parliament on Sunday, aiming to stop cruelty towards animals and defining the duties of their owners.
Gas tariff hike to benefit people: Minister
Dhaka, Jul 7 (UNB) - The people of the country will directly be benefited with the recent hike in gas prices, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque told Parliament on Sunday.
The minister made the statement while responding to a supplementary question from Jasod MP Shirin Akhtar.