2 more public universities in Jamalpur, Netrakona
The government has decided to set up two more public universities in the country to accommodate more students.
Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Science and Technology University would be set up in Jamalpur's Melandah and Sheikh Hasina University in Netrakona.
The decision came at the weekly cabinet meeting yesterday, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The meeting approved two laws to this end.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the existing Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Fisheries College in Melandah would be upgraded to a science and technology university.
Sheikh Hasina University would be established as per the demand of Netrakona residents, he said, adding that the initial plan was to set up a science and technology university in the district, but it was later revised. Like other public universities, it would offer courses in arts, commerce and science subjects.
With the latest two, the number of public universities in the country would be 40.
The cabinet also approved the draft of the Bangladesh Ship Recycling Act-2017 incorporating a provision of tougher punishment for violating the law. The proposed law was aimed at providing a further boost for the country's ship recycling industry, said the cabinet secretary.
A separate zone would be established in Chittagong for the ship recycling industry where the industry owners would set up yards and run their factories. The industries will also have to abide by international laws and conventions, Shafiul added.
He said the punishment for importing or recycling ships without a “no objection certificate” (NOC) would be two years' jail or a fine of between Tk 10 lakh and Tk 30 lakh. A similar punishment would be meted out to anyone for setting up a yard without prior permission or building yards outside the zone.
The punishment for availing the facility through fake certificates would be maximum five years' jail or a fine of between Tk 5 lakh and Tk 20 lakh.
Under the new law, an 11-member board would be constituted to oversee the activities of the ship recycling industries with an additional secretary of the industries ministry as its chairman.
The cabinet also approved in principle the draft of "The Integrated Small-scale Irrigation Policy, 2017" aimed at ensuring development of surface and underground water resources as well as their efficient use.
It also endorsed the draft of the agreements to be signed with India titled “Inter-agency Agreement between Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) on Cooperation Regarding Nuclear Power Plant Project in Bangladesh”.
The meeting also approved another draft agreement to be inked with India titled “Arrangement between the Indian Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) for the Exchange of Technical Information and Cooperation in the Regulation of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection”.