The Cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal for preserving 30 percent job quota for the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters in government, semi-government and autonomous institutions.
The establishment ministry placed the proposal at the weekly cabinet meeting at the secretariat with the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in the chair.
‘The government has taken the move to fill up the job quota earlier preserved for the freedom fighters and their children in the public service,’ said the prime minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad.
The prime minister also asked the authorities concerned to tighten anti-money laundering measures to check illegal transactions, said a senior minister after the meeting which was attended by cabinet members and senior officials including the governor of Bangladesh Bank.
Thursday’s cabinet meeting also approved the draft of the Children Bill – 2010 that defines individuals under the age of 18 as children.
‘The cabinet has approved the bill, enactment of which will repeal the existing Children Act 1974… the new law has been framed to ensure proper growth of the children and their protection as well,’ said the press secretary.
The existing act defines child as an individual below 16 years of age.
Azad said that the draft proposes introduction of child-friendly police and alternative trial system for the children in conflict with the laws.
According to the draft, children under nine years would not be sent to court for trial or handcuffed while children under 12 cannot be manhandled during arrest.
The draft proposes constitution of a welfare board for protecting the rights of the children.
The Cabinet approved another proposal for retaining the ban on cutting trees in forests for another five
years until 2015, said Abul Kalam Azad.
Without approving the defence ministry’s proposal for enhancing financial assistances in recognition to heroic achievements in the armed forces, the prime minister ordered formation of committee to be led by planning minister AK Khandker to include the police department in the proposal.
She also asked for constituting another committee to be led by her finance adviser, Mashiur Rahman, to further scrutinize the Financial Report Bill – 2010, which was placed by the finance division for approval of the cabinet.
The prime minister asked her cabinet colleagues to post detailed information on the activities of their ministries on official web sites so that the people could evaluate the performance of the Awami League-led government.
