The cabinet approved Monday a draft service law that debars arrest of any public servant sans government permission unless charge sheet is accepted by a law-court in any criminal case.
"It's a time-befitting step," cabinet secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told journalists in praise of the proposed law titled 'The Public Servant Act 2015'.
The law in the making also empowers the government to structure and restructure the public service, he said after the day's cabinet meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat.
It will now go to the legislative department of the law ministry for vetting. After the vetting it will come again to the cabinet for final approval and then it will go to parliament for its nod, he said.
The cabinet secretary said some new provisions have been incorporated into the new law that include not to arrest any government servants until acceptance of charge sheet on criminal offence against him/her by the court and formulation of rules in ten areas of the proposed new law for cadre service.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting held at the Prime Minister Office (PMO).
The cabinet secretary said persons working in judicial service such as the Supreme Court, defence and railway board would not come under the purview of the proposed law.
"Under the proposed law the government could structure and restructure services. After promulgation of the law, necessary rules related with the law need to be prepared," Mr Bhuiyan said.
He said the new law has clearly specified the terms and conditions of public servants that include their retirement benefits, promotion criteria, higher education, incentives and voluntary retirement from service.
The cabinet also approved 'The Nuclear Power Plant Ordinance 2015' aimed at facilitating the setting up of nuclear power plants in the country, including the ongoing Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project.
It also approved forming an operating company.
Mr Bhuiayan said the Ministry of Science and Technology placed the proposal as an ordinance since parliament is not in session now.
He said the President would promulgate the ordinance soon and later be transformed into an act through passing the related bill in parliament.
The cabinet secretary said the draft was first placed before the cabinet as a bill on May 04 last.
Since nuclear power-plant projects are high-tech and complicated ones, it is very tough to run and operate those under the Companies Act.
"On completion of Roopur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) the government will form a company to look after the operational activities of the nuclear plant," he said.
The name of the company will be 'Nuclear Power Plant Company'. It is for maintaining operation of the nuclear plant.
The company would also have a board. The secretary of the ministry of science and technology will be chairman of the board and chairman of BAEC its director.
The minimum number of directors of the board will be seven while maximum 12, to be appointed by the government.
"Bangladesh is building Roopur nuclear power plant with the cooperation from Russia by following international guidelines," Mr Bhuiyan said.
"Under the ordinance, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) will be the owner organisation while 'Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited' will be formed as an operating organisation," the cabinet secretary said.
The RNPP project will be implemented with financial and technical support from the Russian government to generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity initially.
The initial duration of the project is from March 2013 to June 2017 and it will go into operation by 2021. The project involves Tk 5087.81 crore with project aid of Tk 40 billion (4000 crore) from the Russian government.
The council of ministers also approved 'The National Disaster Management Guidelines 2015' aimed at developing resilience, reducing risks and strengthening public-private cooperation in facing disasters.
It also approved 'The Army (Amendment) Act 2015' and 'The Air Force (Amendment) Act 2015'.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
© 2026 - All Rights with The Financial Express
