The cabinet today approved a proposal for signing the "Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons", a legally binding instrument of the United Nations for nuclear disarmament.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will sign the treaty during the 72nd UN General Assembly later this month in New York, Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam informed reporters at the secretariat after the cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka.

United Nations adopted the Treaty on July this year by a vote of 122 nations including Bangladesh in favour, one against and with one abstention.

The cabinet also approved the draft of an "Air Services Agreement between Bangladesh and United Arab Emirates". Both the countries signed such agreement in 1988.

Under the proposed new agreement, more than one flight operators nominated by both the respective countries apart from the national flag carriers of Bangladesh and UAE would be able to operate flights.

The agreement will have both Bangla and Arabic versions, the cabinet secretary said adding that the Civil Aviation Authority of the country will have the power to cancel operation of an airline in case of failure to obey the rules, the agreement said.

Planning Division informed the cabinet about the preparations of Bangladesh to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, Alam said.

He said the progress of Bangladesh towards attaining SDGs is so far satisfactory and Bangladesh is now ahead of many countries in this regard.

"We've almost achieved cent percent MDGs and our position is good regarding the SDGs," Shafiul Alam said adding that the government has recently submitted a Voluntary National Report at the UN headquarters on SDGs.

The cabinet also adopted a resolution expressing profound shock at the death of renowned Sadhin Bangla Betar Kendra singer Abdul Jabbar.

The Election Commission may extend the deadline for political parties to inform it about their decision to contest the upcoming parliamentary polls under any alliance.

The EC after announcing the poll schedule on Thursday sent letters to all the registered parties to inform it in three days [by today] if they wanted to contest the parliamentary polls under any political alliance.

EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, however, yesterday said it was mandatory for the political parties to inform the decision in three days (ends today), but “the commission has the authority to take any further decision regarding the matter”.

“The commission will take a final decision in case anyone wants more time,” he said while talking to reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban.

He made the comment as ruling Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said they would seek more time from EC to inform it if they would contest the polls under an alliance.

Asked about what measures the EC would take as a clash between two factions of AL centring collection of nomination papers left two dead, Helal said the matter was yet to come to their notice.

He said the commission has asked law enforcers to take necessary steps so that no violence or breaching of the electoral code of conduct occurs.

The EC is considering a plan to deploy army at the polling booths equipped with electronic voting machines (EVMs) to “ensure technical support and security” alongside serving as a striking force, he added.

The EC secretary said he does not think the AL rank and file are violating the electoral code of conduct by bringing out processions while collecting party nomination forms.

He further said Jatiya Oikyafront already had permission to hold a rally in Rajshahi when the poll schedule was announced. He added the commission had already asked the law enforcers not to give permission to hold rallies to any political parties.

Earlier on Thursday, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda announced that the 11th Jatiya Sangsad polls would be held on December 23.

The government will make all-out efforts to bring opposition BNP to the next parliamentary election, slated for late next year.

Besides, the ruling Awami League will participate in the polls with its 14-party allies, said party sources.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the AL chief, said this at a meeting of the AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC), the highest decision-making body of the party, at the Gono Bhaban last night.

She also said voting in all 300 parliamentary constituencies will be held using electronic voting machines (EVM), meeting sources said.

At one point, AL presidium member Shajahan Khan wanted to know whether the party and the government would take any initiative to bring the BNP to the next national polls.

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In response, Hasina said her party will take every initiative to bring the opposition party to the election, the sources added.

After boycotting the 2014 parliamentary polls, the BNP contested the last general election and also took part in elections to local government bodies with its electoral symbol "sheaf of paddy". But the party recently boycotted local government polls saying that free and fair elections are not possible under the current administration.

Photo: PID

At the meeting last night, Hasina said the next general election will be held in a free and credible manner and it would be a participatory one.

She said her government would provide all-out support to the Election Commission to hold a credible election.

The PM criticised some of her party leaders, saying those who are not confident about their win don't want BNP to take part in the national polls.

She also said conspiracies are afoot to make the next national polls controversial. Naming Dr Kamal Hossain of Gonoforum, Mahmudur Rahman Manna of Nagorik Oikya and Reza Kibria of Bangladesh Gono Odhikar Parishad, she said they can do nothing, said the sources.

The AL chief also said 14-party alliance is with her party and it will contest the next general election with the "ideological partners". She asked the party leaders to maintain good relations with the allies. 

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Hasina also suggested maintaining close relations with friendly countries who, she thinks, would be a factor in the next polls.

She asked her party leaders to prepare for the election and also for the AL's tri-annual conference and advised them to complete all district conferences within December. The tenure of the current central committee of the AL will expire that month.

Talking tough on the party's rebel candidates, the PM said those who contest local body elections against party candidates can't be contenders at the grassroots councils, said sources.

"Election will be held using EVM and it would be a participatory one. Don't think you will win the election only on the party ticket. You will have to win by dint of your popularity and merit," an AL central leader who participated in the meeting quoted Hasina as saying.

The PM's hints at all-EVM JS polls come when Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal several times said they were yet to make any decision about using EVMs in elections and they were studying the system.

Earlier in March when the newly constituted EC sat with civil society members and other professionals, eminent citizens opined that the commission should refrain from using EVMs in polls unless there is consensus regarding the use of the technology.

They also urged the EC to take steps to restore people's trust in it.

UNB reports: The PM in her introductory speech said her party always comes to power through elections, never by the backdoor.

The premier thanked the people for repeatedly voting her party to power.

"Due to this, the country witnessed massive development in the last 13 years, leading to rise in the people's living standards," she said.

The AL chief underscored the need for strengthening the party as the national election is due late next year.

She said her successive governments since 2009 gave importance to developing the rural areas.

"As a result, the infrastructure in rural areas have improved a lot and people could go to their village homes smoothly."

She mentioned that during the Eid-ul-Fitr this year, people could go to their villages without facing hassles. She thanked the road transport minister for this.

The cabinet today approved the draft of “The Health Development Surcharge Management Policy-2017” with a view to control the use of tobacco products and to turn Bangladesh into a smoking free country by 2040.

The fund earned imposing one percent surcharge on tobacco products remains unused due to absence of policy. The fund will be used in 14 sectors to control the use of tobacco and to create mass awareness against the adverse impacts of tobacco on human health, said Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam.

The cabinet secretary was briefing reporters at his Secretariat office in Dhaka after the weekly cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister Office with PM Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

According to the policy, some specific suggestions have been incorporated in the policy to control the tobacco products and its use to turn Bangladesh into a tobacco free country by 2040, the cabinet secretary said.

Shafiul Alam said the surcharge has already been imposed and Tk 300 crore per year is being deposited into the health ministry.

But the fund is being used in various purposes including the health sector in preventing tobacco uses and non-communicable diseases, Alam said.

The surcharge will be used to create awareness among common people against tobacco use, prevent farmers from cultivating tobacco and create alternative employment opportunities for them, he added.

The cabinet also approved the draft of “The National Academy for Planning and Development Law, 2017” translating the original law of 1979 into Bangla.

Besides, the cabinet congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she was apprised by many quarters from home and abroad for her humanities to the Rohingya people and active participation in the recently ended General Assembly of the United Nations.