London, 29 January 2019

The first session of the 11th Jatiya Sangsad will begin tomorrow. President Md. Abdul Hamid will deliver speech on the first day of the session. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be elected on the first session of the parliament.

The Cabinet has approved the draft of Bangladesh Flag Carrying Vessels (Protection) Act, 2019 enhancing state-run Bangladesh Shipping Corporation‟s stake in overseas shipment. The Cabinet gave the approval in principle in its weekly meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair in the PMO yesterday. The Cabinet simultaneously gave final approval to the draft of “Bangladesh EPZ Labour Law, 2019” which was enforced since January15, 2019 through promulgation of an ordinance.

President Md. Abdul Hamid has urged all concerned to preserve historical elements and evidences of the war of liberation of 1971 carefully to keep the history in its right track as deliberate attempts were witnessed in the past to distort the history. The President made the call while launching the “1971: Resistance, Resilience and Redemption” at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban yesterday. The President urged the prudent writers, researchers, journalists and intellectuals to supplement such publications through their own research works to record the country‟s in-depth and real history.

The Government has taken initiatives to extend power distribution lines in Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions to give some 4.15 lakh new power connections. The ECNEC meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair today is expected to consider two separate projects in this regard.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hosted a tea party at Ganabhaban in honour of foreign diplomats and heads of different missions and representatives of international organisations yesterday. The PM exchanged pleasantries with the Envoys of 48 countries as well as representatives of international organisations. The diplomats greeted the Premier with bouquets.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said, Hatiya would be the role model of development as the Government had taken initiatives to check erosion and repair infrastructures in the upazila area. The Minister said this while talking to journalists after inaugurating the „Nijhum Nibash‟ of Hatiya Roads and Highways Department yesterday.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has attributed the last year‟s deadly USBangla crash in Kathmandu to the Air Traffic Control failure at Tribhuvan International Airport as the Nepalese authorities released its investigation report trying to highlight only the pilot‟s role. CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Naim Hassan told a media briefing yesterday, US-Bangla air crash at Kathmandu could be avoided if the Air Traffic Control tower there gave proper instruction to the pilot.

The Government has undertaken a plan to construct 16-km underground Mass Rapid Transit on Kamalapur-Narayanganj route by 2030. Media quoting Railway Ministry sources said, the underground rail route will be constructed under the existing Dhaka-Narayanganj railway track

Press Wing