Cabinet okays jute law

The cabinet yesterday gave its final approval to the draft of "The Jute Law, 2015" modifying the existing "Jute Ordinance" of 1962 and including a maximum three-year imprisonment or one lakh taka fine or both for violators.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told journalists after the cabinet meeting that the draft was placed in Bangla as per a Supreme Court directive for translating all ordinances promulgated by military governments.

He said the draft has 32 sections on encouraging production, carrying out research, issuing licences, appointing agents and brokers, fixing values, imposing development fees and registering contracts.

He said the cabinet also endorsed the draft of an "Air Transport Agreement" with the US based on a Memorandum of Consultation signed on August 15, 2013.

He said the meeting was apprised of the commerce minister's participation in the Bangladesh Day of the Expo Milano-2015 in Milan on September 19-22, Asia Pacific Business Forum Conference and the Fourth Session of the Committee on Trade and Investment of the UNESCAP in Thailand on November 2-4 and "The e-commerce Fair" in London on November 13-14.

Alam said the meeting was also informed of the participation of the shipping minister in the 29th Assembly of the International Maritime Organization in London on November 21-28 and of a Bangladesh delegation led by the foreign minister in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta on November 27-29.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the regular cabinet meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat.