DCC split into two

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The cabinet Monday gave the nod in principle to a proposal for amendment of the Local Government (City Corporation) Act 2009 to constitute two city corporations dividing the 92 wards of the existing Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) on 150 square kilometers, reports BSS. The approval was given at a regular meeting of the cabinet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing reporters after the meeting at the conference room of the Press Information Department, PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said the law proposed for dividing the existing DCC into Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation. He said the government has taken the decision to constitute two city corporations as it became difficult for the existing one city authority to provide expected services for its around 10 million residents. Dhaka North City Corporation will be constituted with 36 wards while Dhaka South City Corporation with 56 wards, the press secretary said. The cabinet also has given final approval to the draft of the Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development Academy Act-2011 to make the academy an autonomous body so that it can carry out research work at national and international levels. The academy was established in 2001 as an affiliated training and research organisation of Rural Development Board. The academy now carries out agricultural research work in a limited scale. The new law proposed for a 16-member separate board headed by a chairman to run the academy. Cabinet members, state ministers in charge of various ministries, cabinet secretary, principal secretary to the Prime Minister and secretaries concerned attended the meeting. The cabinet also okayed the draft of the Forest (Amendment) Act 2011, draft of the Competition Act 2011, and a proposal for membership of Bangladesh in the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration. The membership was crucial for Bangladesh as an initiative to demarcate maritime boundary of Bangladesh and India is now under process in the arbitration court. The membership will give Bangladesh equal status with India and give nomination of four legal experts in the court and a jury in the arbitration board. It will also help Bangladesh to resolve all disputes related to trade and energy in the international court and seek financial assistance from the court to bear arbitration cost. The Competition Act 2011 has been designed to ensure fair competition in the trade, commerce and marketing of all kinds of goods and products. The law proposed for action against all irregularities and unhealthy competition in the market. Industries Minister Dilip Barua informed the cabinet of his visit to China to attend the Ministerial Workshop on Industrial Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction for Developing Countries. State Minister for Environment and Forests Dr Hasan Mahmud submitted a report on the location of the industries illegally built up in the Bhawal National Uddyan in Gazipur. Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni informed the cabinet of raising Bangladesh's demand for its share in the expanded continental shelf in the Bay of Bengal and the latest situation on demarcation of the maritime boundary with neighbouring Myanmar.