Cabinet approves president's speech

13 January 2011, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

A special cabinet meeting yesterday approved a speech to be delivered by President Zillur Rahman at the new year session starting on January 25. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting attended by ministers, state ministers, her advisers, and secretaries at her office. The cabinet also approved a policy to compensate Tk 3 lakh for each of those who will die for saving forest wealth and Tk 1.5 lakh for every injured person. The cabinet on January 3 formed a five-member committee headed by PM's Adviser HT Imam to finalise the speech. The committee also includes the PM's another adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman, principal secretary to the PMO, and the education and finance secretaries. At the previous meeting, the premier instructed the committee to make a summary of the speech between 2,000 and 2,500 words so that the president could read it within 20 to 25 minutes. The entire speech would be tabled in the Jatiya Sangsad.