Bangladesh will sign an agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to increase security cooperation between the two brotherly countries during the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's upcoming visit to the Gulf nation.
With this end in view, the Cabinet approved Monday a proposal for signing the agreement between the two nations to check crimes.
"The deal will be signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to the UAE this month," Cabinet Secretary Muhammad Hussain Bhuiyan told the media after regular weekly meeting at the conference room of the cabinet division at Bangladesh Secretariat.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.
The cabinet secretary said another agreement on transfer of sentenced prisoners is also expected to be signed during the PM's UAE visit.
He said the high officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs is now in the UAE to finalise the second agreement.
The council of ministers also gave nod to another proposal for signing an agreement on military cooperation in training and other fields with Kuwait.
Bangladesh has prepared the draft of the agreement following the proposal from the Gulf nation (Kuwait).
As per the agreement, the two countries will cooperate in military training and education, military intelligence, defence industry, logistics, exchange of military observers, technology and scientific development, technology transfer, anti-smuggling and anti-narcotics measures.
"The agreement will also help enhance cooperation in military history, military archives and military museums of the two countries," Mr Bhuiyan said.
The council of ministers also discussed the activities of different ministries and divisions for the fiscal year (FY) 2013-14 and expressed satisfaction over their performances.
The cabinet secretary said the annual report of the ministries and divisions highlighted that the per capita income, revenue collection, inflation, foreign currency reserve showed a positive trend during the fiscal year (FY) 2013-14 compared to the previous fiscal year.
The rate of Annual Development Programme (ADP) utilisation reached 93.11 per cent in FY '14 with an expenditure of Tk 595.80 billion. Some 239 development projects were completed in the last fiscal year out of the earmarked 242 projects
He said in the last fiscal year the expenditure on social safety net programmes had increased to Tk 266.54 billion. The agricultural production has increased alongside progress in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The number of mobile phone users increased to 116.2 million as of June 2014. The number of internet users increased to 38.9 million while the tele-density stood at 77.91 per cent.
"There has been a significant improvement in the health, education, communication and power sectors during the last FY," he said adding that some 69 State- owned Enterprises (SoEs) have turned out to be profitable in FY '14 while 19 became losing concerns.
He said the cabinet also recommended holding public hearings at upazila level to hear the problems of mass people.
It also made some recommendations that include further strengthening of inter-ministerial meetings to expedite the implementation of various policies and programmes, taking more initiatives to fill vacant posts, capacity development of the implementing agencies to expedite ADP utilisation alongside the extensive monitoring, imparting training to more volunteers for tackling natural disasters, load management of power and tackling misuse, extending the e-tendering activities and creating more awareness for controlling food adulteration.
The cabinet was also apprised of the visit of Bangladesh delegation to South Korea on August 27-29, 2014 led by State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.
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