Cabinet asks law enforcers to intensify anti-terror measures

Against the backdrop of the recent series bomb attacks in Sri Lanka, the cabinet on Monday directed the law enforcement and intelligence agencies to intensify anti-terror cautionary measures and vigilance in the country, reports UNB.

The directives came from the cabinet meeting held with prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office.

"The cabinet asked for intensifying cautionary and monitoring measures in Bangladesh," said senior secretary (Coordination and Reforms) of the cabinet division Shamsul Arefin while briefing reporters at the Bangladesh secretariat about the meeting.

The cabinet adopted two condolence motions expressing deep shock and sorrow at the casualties in the recent series bomb attacks in Sri Lanka and the death of Zayan Chowdhury, a grandson of chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare ministry Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, in one of the attacks, said the senior secretary.

Mentioning that the people of Bangladesh are deeply shocked at the terrible attacks, the cabinet expressed profound sympathy to the bereaved family members, he said.

Besides, the cabinet approved the draft of Bangladesh Industrial and Technical Assistance Centre (BITAC) Bill 2019 for strengthening the management and function of the centre, said Arefin.

"BITAC is a statutory body which has been running on the basis of a resolution of 1962. The bill was brought to make a full-fledged law to strengthen the management of the centre," he said.

According to the bill, there will be an 11-member board of directors to be headed by the industries secretary, the secretary added.

Creating skilled manpower through technical trainings for industries and factories, improving the standard of skills of the people employed in the government and private industries, providing technical trainings to physically challenged people to ensure their participation in the country's economic activities, and conducting researches are among the functions of the centre, said Arefin.

The cabinet endorsed the draft of the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation between Lebanon and Bangladesh for inking the deal between the two governments.

The cabinet was also informed about the prime minister's recent three-day visit to Brunei Darussalam, said the secretary.