Staff Correspondent

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul will carry out the administrative and financial responsibilities of Speaker of the Parliament as the post is vacant now.

The decision was taken at the meeting of advisers' council held today at the Chief Adviser’s Office with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed journalists about the outcomes of the meeting at Foreign Service Academy.

He said the Speaker had financial and administrative duties, but the post of Speaker is now vacant, so who will do that job.

“A decision has been taken in that regard that Legal Adviser Asif Nazrul will look after it,” he added.

A press release of the Cabinet Division said that the meeting of advisers’ council gave final approval to the draft of “Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat (Interim Special Provisions) Ordinance, 2024” in principle.

The then prime minister resigned on August 5, 2024 and fled the country on the wake of students-people mass uprising. On August 6, 2024, the President dissolved the 12th National Parliament. Later, the Speaker of the 12th National Parliament also resigned.

The meeting also approved the draft of “Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Gambia and the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on Exemption from Visa Requirement for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports”.

The release said that the draft agreement has a total of 10 articles. When it is signed, citizens of both countries holding diplomatic and official passports will be exempted from the visa requirement for entry, transit, stay and exit from each other's territory for a period, not exceeding 90 (ninety) days, from the date of entry.

It added, the agreement shall remain in effect indefinitely. However, any party may terminate the agreement through giving 90 (ninety) days written notice.

This move is expected to enhance economic and trade cooperation, expand labor market and further strengthen mutual relations between the governments of Bangladesh and Gambia, said the release.

In addition, the draft of “Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation” was also cleared by the meeting of the Advisers’ Council.

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organization consisting of 7 member countries - Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The organization works in technical and economic cooperation with the mentioned countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal in 14 main sectors. Among these, transport and communication is one of the sectors.

The proposed agreement will be signed in the presence of the heads of government of the member states at the upcoming BIMSTEC summit with the aim of strengthening the commercial shipping and maritime transport system of the member states to enrich the economic and trade relations of the region, said the cabinet division release.

The meeting also decided that from now a job seekers will be able to sit for Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations up to a maximum of four times.

“A candidate will now be able to sit for the BCS examination up to a maximum of four times,” said the release.

It said that in line with the “Maximum Age Limit Ordinance, 2024” for direct recruitment in government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, and constitutionally established government authorities, as well as public non-financial corporations and self-governing bodies-- the Ministry of Public Administration has been instructed to amend the “Bangladesh Civil Service (Age, Qualifications, and Direct Recruitment Examination) Rules, 2014” in accordance with the powers granted under Section 59 of the "Government Service Act, 2018."