News brief for the 16th of October 2018

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves Dhaka this afternoon for Riyadh on a four-day bilateral visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi King and Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The cabinet has approved in principle the draft of 'The Broadcast Law, 2018' aimed at bringing discipline in broadcasting through forming a commission. The approval came in the cabinet meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair yesterday. The cabinet also okayed in principle 'The Mass Media Employees (services condition) Law, 2018' with a provision for ensuring wage board for the employees of all media, including television channels.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the Durga Puja Mandap at the Dhakeswari National Temple in the capital yesterday. During the visit, the Premier exchanged greetings with the devotees. The Premier presented one and a half bigha land to Dhakeswari National Temple. Earlier, the Prime Minister visited Dhaka Ramakrishna Mission where its principal Swami Dhrubeshananda greeted the Premier with a flower bouquet.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has underscored the need for formulation of inclusive free trade policy to get rid of the existing inequality and discrimination in the world trade. The Speaker said this while taking part in a debate of the Standing Committee of InterParliamentary Union at its 139th Assembly in Geneva yesterday.

The World Food Day is being observed in the country as elsewhere in the world today with an emphasis on forging a technology-based sustainable agriculture system for building a poverty and hunger-free country by 2030. On the eve of the day, President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages wished the day’s programmes a success.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu has asked Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution to fix the national standard for products and services aimed at competing effectively in the international market. The Minister said this while addressing a discussion marking the World Standard Day-2018 at BSTI in Dhaka yesterday.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu has said, the economy of the country would be crippled without the participation of women. The Minister said this while speaking at a seminar marking the World Rural Women’s Day at the National Press Club in Dhaka yesterday. The Minister appealed to all to help women get educated, empowered, enriched and employed.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has said, Junior School Certificate Examination would begin on November 1 and the government has taken all the necessary preparations for holding the examination. The Minister said this at a preparatory meeting for holding the exam at his ministry yesterday.

Bangladesh has become a full-fledged member of the prestigious international forum 'WorldSkills' which works on the theme of Skills Development for the Youth. Bangladesh became the 79th member of the forum when the recommendation of its board was ratified at the WorldSkills Conference 2018 that kicked off in Amsterdam yesterday. A four-member high-level Bangladesh delegation led by Md. Nojibur Rahman, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, is participating in the assembly.

Press wing