Cabinet clears draft Textile Act, 2018

The Cabinet on Monday cleared the draft of a new law titled 'The Textile Act, 2018', aiming to maintain the quality of textile products as Bangladesh earns a large amount of foreign currency from apparel exports.
The approval came at the Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, reports UNB.
"It's a new law being formulated considering the importance of the textile sector as the country's earning from the apparel export is US $29.26 billion, which is 83.95 per cent of the total export of the last fiscal year," Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said at a press briefing after the meeting at the Secretariat.
As per the draft law, a directorate will be formed with a Director General as its head who will be appointed by the government.
The DG will work as its registrar, and an officer responsible to inspect quality and standard of various elements used in the textile products including paint and other chemicals.
Shafiul Alam said the government can establish a laboratory of international standard to carry out such activities.
About the provision of punishment, the Cabinet Secretary said the registration of any company can be suspended or even cancelled for giving wrong or false information while getting registered.
The cabinet also gave the final approval to the draft of 'The Children (Amendment) Act, 2018' with provisions of setting up one or more Children Tribunals in a district.
Besides, the cabinet approved draft of 'Bangladesh Employees Welfare Board (Amendment) Act, 2018' incorporating a provision describing all officials and employees of the republic as 'employees'.
The draft law has been formulated amending the existing law of 2004 and some changes have been made over the authority of the Board and various deposits, including group insurance premium.
The cabinet also gave the final approval to the draft of the national sports council act, 2018 to make the existing law more time befitting.