Cabinet okays draft bill for planned dev of Rajshahi
UNB
The Cabinet yesterday approved the draft of the Rajshahi Development Authority Bill, 2016 aiming to give a firm legal shape to the existing ordinance and help planned development of Rajshahi city, reports UNB.
The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the draft law has been formulated modifying the Rajshahi Town Development Authority Ordinance, 1976. Shafiul Alam said the draft law has 9 chapters and 7 sections, while there will be a chairman along with four full-time members under the 15-member authority.
Besides, there will be 10 more members of the authority, including Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi, CEO of Rajshahi City Corporation as well as representatives from the Public Works Department, Department of Architecture, Ministry of the Environment and Forests.
According to the new draft law, no one can do any construction work going beyond the master plan, build any building or dig ponds in any area of the city or fill up low land or water bodies without permission of the authority, he said.
For violating the law, Shafiul Alam said the responsible person or authority will be sentenced to one years jail or be fined up to maximum Tk 50,000 or be punished by both. The Cabinet Secretary said the draft law has been formulated in light of Coxs Bazar Development Authority Act, 2016 aiming to ensure maximum utilisation of the land in Rajshahi city area. About the responsibility of the Rajshahi Development Authority, Alam said they will prepare a Master Plan for developing Rajshahi city in a planned manner.
