Bangladesh News

The Council of Advisers in its first meeting here yesterday approved in principle Bangladesh Economic Zones Ordinance 2008 as well as a 12-point package for development of Sylhet region.

With Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair, the meeting also endorsed finally the EPZ trade union and Industrial Relations (Amendment) Ordinance 2008.

This was the third meeting of the Council of Advisers in divisional headquarters, after Rangpur and Barisal.

Members of the council, cabinet secretary, CA’s press secretary and secretaries concerned were present at the meeting held at Sylhet Circuit House.

Briefing the media on the two-hour-long meeting from 11:00am, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said the meeting approved a 12-point plan for overall development of Sylhet region.

The development plan envisages setting up a special economic zone in Sylhet, formation of Sylhet development authority and a special committee or cell on development of haor area and establishment of labour court to ensure expansion of tea industry, its modernisation and protection of tea workers’ interest.

It also include special steps to flourish tourism industry, establishment of a coordinated network connecting upazilas inhabited by expatriates of Sylhet with district and divisional headquarters, special programme to remove hurdles to the spread of education, particularly for women, special projects for development of the communications system and solving electricity problem.

Bringing arid land under cultivation to increase food security, setting up a shooting academy at Sylhet Rifles Club and establishing a refuelling station at MAG Osmani Airport to upgrade it to an international airport are also in the development package.