Welfare of artistes to be ensured, bill okayed

The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of Bangladesh Film Artistes' Welfare Trust Bill, 2020, aiming to ensure welfare of the actors and actresses as well as provide financial support to insolvent and ailing artists.

The approval came from the weekly cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The Prime Minister joined the meeting through a videoconference from her official residence, Ganobhaban, while other cabinet members from Bangladesh Secretariat.

"The main objectives of the bill are ensuring the welfare of film actors and actress, providing financial support to insolvent and incapable artistes, financial support to ailing artistes, necessary assistance to the family members in case of death of an artiste, and implementing other programs to be taken by the trust," said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam in a press briefing after the meeting.

He said the Information Ministry placed the bill following a directive of the prime minister.

There will be a board headed by the information minister as its chairman to run the trust, said the cabinet secretary, adding that a managing director will be there to act as the executive chief of the trust.

Besides, the Cabinet cleared the drafts of two tax agreements to be signed with the Maldives and Czech Republic for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion.

The cabinet meeting also approved the drafts of another two government-level agreements to be signed with Saudi Arabia and Nepal.

The agreement with Saudi Arabia is on 'Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters', while the remaining one is 'Addendum to the protocol to the Transit Agreement with Nepal'.