Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the people of Bangladesh always hold a special place in their hearts for Palestine and its people. She said it will be easier to advance the peace process in Palestine if the entire Arab world lends its support together.

The Prime Minister made the statement when Palestine’s former Prime Minister Vice Azzam NM Alahmad met her at her official residence Ganobhaban.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday highlighted her government’s initiatives to address radicalization and drug addiction of children. The Premier said this when Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi made a courtesy call on Prime Minister at her Ganobhaban residence. The Nobel laureate highly praised the initiatives of Bangladesh government for ensuring development of children and women and ending gender disparity.

The Cabinet yesterday approved the draft of the ‘Immovable Asset Acquisition and Requisition Bill, 2017’ keeping a provision of providing a 3-fold compensation to the affected people if the government acquires any land.

The Cabinet also approved the draft of the ‘The National Film Policy, 2017’ aimed at promoting the production of healthy movies through upholding the spirit, ideology and history of the Liberation War as well as the country’s culture and tradition. The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The Cabinet also adopted a thanksgiving motion congratulating Saima Wazed Hossain, a strong advocate for autism, as she has been designated as “WHO Champion for Autism” in South-East Asia Region.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said Bangladesh has the potential to become the transport and transshipment hub for India, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Myanmar for their collective economic growth.

His comments came in a statement at the end of the ‘Finance Minister’s meeting of South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC)’ in Delhi hosted by India in collaboration with Asian Development Bank.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu yesterday said awareness should be created among the people to prevent pirated film screening to restore the lost glory of films as government cannot do it alone.

The Minister said the government has taken 15 Cineplex under central server to stop piracy. The Minister was addressing at a seminar styled ‘Current screening system is the main barrier to film development in Bangladesh’ organized by Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) marking the Fifth National Films day.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday said the government did not give permission to import salt to protect the interest of salt farmers. The Minister said this while addressing a meeting of salt farmers here. He said adequate salt is now being produced in the country.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that there is no security threat centering Pohela Boishakh celebration. The Minister said the dwellers are advised not to carry any bag on that day. He told this at the secretariat yesterday after a discussion on the security measures for Pohela Boishakh celebration.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu yesterday said films had a great role to play in creating a society free of militancy and which was healthy and aesthetic. The Minister was speaking at a meeting on the National Film Day on the premises of the Film Development Corporation (FDC).

The Minister recalled the role of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in establishing the FDC in the mid-50s and said its establishment had inspired the nationalist movement to a great extent.

Science and Technology Minister Architect Yafesh Osman yesterday said Bangladesh is for the first time on the brink of setting up nuclear power centre due to farsighted and time-befitting policy of the present government.

The Minister said this while inaugurating the four-day 39th national representative conference of Regional Co-operative Agreement (RCA) for research, development and training related to nuclear science and technology for Asia and Pacific, at a hotel in Cox’s Bazaar. He said the government is giving the topmost priority on nuclear security and safety for implementing the Ruppur Nuclear Power Station.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a four-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP) to support Bangladesh in achieving zero hunger by 2030-one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The CSP 2017-20 has been designed involving an estimated cost of US$ 201.6 million.

– Press Wing London, 04 April 2017