Cabinet approves draft of law

The cabinet Sunday approved the draft of the "Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2020," to replace the ordinance promulgated by the President a few days ago, keeping the provision of death penalty for rape, reports BSS.

"The draft of the 'Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2020', which was issued in the form of an ordinance on October 14 was also approved … Now it will be placed before the House during the next special parliament session," cabinet secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam told journalists at his regular post-weekly cabinet meeting briefing.

The premier joined the meeting virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence while her cabinet colleagues were connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat through video conferencing.

The cabinet secretary said: "This is mainly done to protect the rules and regulations as if a law is issued in the form of an ordinance; it has to be raised in the form of a bill in the next session of Parliament. As part of this, the draft law was approved."

On the occasion of Mujib Barsho, the special session of parliament will be held on November 8, a source at the parliament said, adding that the session will be prorogued with the passage of a resolution on the political life of Bangabandhu.

In the draft law, the punishment provisions and other penalty for the rapists remain the same as those were in the ordinance but soon after the passage of the law the ordinance will be null and void, Islam said, replying to a question of reporters at the press briefing.

The cabinet secretary said Sunday's meeting approved the revised draft of the President's address to the special Jatiya Sangsad session of the 11th parliament on the occasion of the 'Mujib Year', the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

President M Abdul Hamid, in his speech before the House, would highlight the life and works of Father of the Nation, government's successful steps to tackle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and some other outstanding achievements in the last few years under the farsighted leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of the greatest Bangalee of all time, he said.

The cabinet was also informed about active participation of Bangladesh delegation led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the 75th United Nations General Assembly through the virtual platform.

Apart from this, the cabinet discussed the overall COVID-19 situation and the government's precautionary measures in this regard and major headways of the under-construction multi-purpose Padma Bridges over the mighty Padma river.

The cabinet meeting also directed all public and private institutions, haat-bazars (markets), mosques and other places of worship to make mask-wearing compulsory.

"Mask-wearing is a state order… No mask, no service," cabinet secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam told the news briefing.

He said people of all public and private offices, social institutions, haat-bazars, shopping malls, other establishments, educational institutions, mosques or other places of worship throughout the country must use masks in view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Held at the cabinet conference room, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the meeting virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban while her cabinet colleagues and secretaries got connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat through a videoconferencing.

"All offices must install notice boards writing - "No mask, No service . . . None will be allowed to enter offices without masks" - in front of the offices or entry points of any institutions," Islam said, adding, "Massive instructions have been issued everywhere. We have already issued guidelines to the divisional commissioner offices in this connection."

Besides, Islam said, strong surveillance or close monitoring will be ensured in all spheres of life.

Referring to gearing up the awareness campaigns against COVID-19, the cabinet secretary mentioned that they have also talked to the country's alem-ulema (Islamic scholars) or religious leaders about the wearing of masks and they have also reached a consensus in this decision.