The cabinet yesterday approved the draft of the Gazipur Development Authority (GDA) Bill 2019, with a view to making the fast-growing Gazipur city a planned, liveable and environment-friendly urban area.

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

Outgoing Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed reporters at the Secretariat after the meeting.

The main job of GDA will be to formulate a mega-plan for city development and approve structural designs, he said.

There will be a 22-member board headed by a chairperson to run the GDA, he added.

Its jurisdiction will be Gazipur City Corporation as well as adjoining areas, to be fixed by government gazettes from time to time, said Shafiul Alam.

Besides, the cabinet endorsed the draft of an agreement to be signed between Bangladesh and South Africa, regarding waiver of visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders.

The cabinet extended thanks to Shafiul Alam for his services, as the cabinet secretary is going to join as alternative executive director of the World Bank for the next three years.