No holiday on Aug 15

The interim government on Tuesday cancelled the public holiday on August 15 marking the national mourning day, commemorating the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The Cabinet Division in a statement said the decision to cancel the national holiday on August 15 was taken on the basis of consensus in dialogues between the council of advisers and political parties at the Chief Adviser's office on Monday.

A set of decisions were made during the advisory council’s meeting held at the State Guest House Jamuna on Tuesday.

A proposal of scrapping the provision of clause (5) of Article 10 of The Bangladesh Bank Order, 1972 (President's Order No. 127 of 1972) relating to the maximum age limit of the Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor has been approved in the meeting, said an official handout.

The Bangladesh Bank (Amendment) Act, 2020 was passed in Jatiya Sangsad on July 9, 2020. As per the amendment, any person can hold the position of BB governor till 67 years old. 

Experienced person in the financial sector is appointed as BB governor but the age limit of maximum 67 years creates an impediment in appointing efficient and experienced person as BB governor.  The maximum age limit is not mentioned in laws in many countries in Asia including neighbouring India and Sri Lanka.

Under the circumstances, the proposal of abolishing the provision has been approved in the meeting. 

The Advisory Council adopted an obituary for the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the mass upsurge of student-people.

A decision was taken to constitute a committee comprising representatives of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Finance Division, Social Welfare Ministry, Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, Directorate of Technical and Madrasah Education, Primary and Mass Education Ministry and concerned ministries and divisions under the initiative of Health Services Division for providing treatment to injured in the recent mass-upsurge of student-people and giving assistance to families of martyrs.

The committee will formulate a policy to this end and prepare a complete list of martyrs and injured people along with their identities.