The government announced Monday Hajj package that will allow 101,758 pilgrims to perform Hajj on September 22 (subject to the moon sighting in Saudi Arabia) next year with two packages being offered by the government and the private sector.
"Under the packages, a total of 10,000 people will go to Saudi Arabia for Hajj next year under government management while 91,758 under private arrangement. The Hajj package-2015 will facilitate pilgrims to perform the Hajj at an affordable cost," Cabinet Secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told the newsmen after the cabinet meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting at the cabinet division on the day.
The cabinet secretary said the possible cost under the government arrangement of package-1 category a pilgrim has to pay Tk 3,54,745 (excluding the cost of kurbani/ for sacrifice of animals). On the other hand the package-2 offers 2,96,206 (excluding the cost of kurbani).
Besides all the pilgrims irrespective of their package categories have to take Saudi Riyal 500 or equivalent to Tk 10,500 individually for kurbani purposes. This year package-1 and package-2 have increased by Tk 429 and Tk430 respectively compared to the government packages last year.
The intended Hajj pilgrims under the government arrangement will have to deposit Tk 1,51,690 (muallem fee, train fare in Saudi Arabia, local service charge, training fee, contingency fund, air fare while for private management Tk 1,48,331 to the government designated banks by February 2, 2015 for making registration either through online or direct.
The rest of the amount of the packages must be deposited by June 10, 2014. If any intended pilgrims failed to deposit the rest of the money within the deadline then he/ she would not be able to go to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj.
The minimum charge for Hajj package by the private management (Hajj agencies) should not be less than the government package of Tk 2,96,206.
The council of ministers approved in principle the draft 'Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) (Amendment) Act, 2014 aiming to flourish medium and small enterprises in the country.
The cabinet secretary said at present the BSCIC activities are concentrated only to the small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
But in recent days the SMEs is flourishing. The sector has huge potential and bright prospect. Now it is time to patronise small enterprises along with the medium enterprises. And the proposed draft law will facilitate this.
He said the BSCIC was established under the then East Pakistan Small and Cottage Industries Corporation Act, 1957. BSCIC functions as a patron for the development of small and medium industries.
Under the management of BSCIC, a total of 74 industrial estates/cities have been established in the country. There are 5714 industries that provided employment of 456000 people. Besides, outside the BSCIC industrial estate/cities/districts there are 9,30,000 SMEs in the country that facilitate employments of over 3.6 million people.
Mr Bhuiyan said the draft law has the provision to allow the BSCIC to form company trust or foundation, if necessary, and as such it could raise funds for carrying out development activities.
The draft law has also the provision for forming a nine-member advisory panel with the representations from the government and the private sectors in order to get recommendations and suggestions from the industries.
The government will appoint chairman. The representatives from the SMEs sector will be included in the advisory panel.
The cabinet also approved the draft National Academy for Planning and Development (NAPD) Act, 2014.
"Under the proposed act the NAPD will be a statutory organisation. There will be a 15-member board. Minister or state minister of the Ministry of Planning will be the chairman of the board while planning secretary will be the vice-chairman," the cabinet secretary said.
He said the aim and objective of NAPD is to provide training, research and publication on development.
He said that NAPD is now running as per the Government Education and Training Institution Ordinance 1961. Previously it was know as Planning and Development Academy and later it was renamed as National Planning and Development Academy in 2009.
The council of ministers also approved in principle the draft Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014.
It also apprised of the participation of Bangladesh delegation in the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings from October 7-12, 2014 in Washington and 322nd session of Governing Body of International Labour Organisation (ILO) from November 3-13 in Geneva, Switzerland.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
