The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of the Special Security Force Act 2021, incorporating the issue of providing security for the family members of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and very important persons.
The approval came from the Cabinet meeting held virtually with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
The prime minister joined the meeting virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban while her cabinet colleagues attended the meeting at the Secretariat.
The proposed law was brought as the existing law titled “the Special Security Force Ordinance, 1986” was void following a verdict of the higher court.
“The new law was drafted revising the existing one. Only one thing was included here, which is providing security to the family members of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and very important persons,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters after the meeting.
He said Bangabandhu’s family members means his two daughters, grandchildren, and in some cases, spouses or issues of the grandchildren.
The very important persons defined by the government through gazettes, heads of the foreign States or Governments will be given security under the draft law.
Replying to a query, Anwarul said in case of providing security for Bangabandhu’s family members, the Special Security Force Act 2021 will be given priority, no matter whatever is there in the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Family Members Security Act, 2009.
The Cabinet also approved the draft of Gold Policy 2018 (Amendment 2021) keeping provision to create pave the way for importing unrefined gold or partially-refined gold alongside gold and gold bars as well as setting up refineries in the country.In the policy, the gold refinery has been defined and the Commerce Ministry will prepare a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to set up and run the gold refinery following the international standards, said the Cabinet Secretary.
He said the Prime Minister has directed to include other valuable goods such as diamond, platinum in the policy as it will create employment for a good number of people due to by-products of the valuable goods.
Besides, the Cabinet gave final clearance to the draft of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Pirojpur Act 2021 in order to establish a varsity in Pirojpur district.
In addition, a draft report on different activities taken by ministries and divisions for tackling COVID-19 pandemic and certificate receipt by the Land Minister from World Book of Records, London were also present in the meeting.
