Cabinet clears draft law for nuclear agriculture institute

The Cabinet has cleared, in principle, a draft law for the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA).

A Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, gave its approval on Monday.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told reporters after the meeting that the BINA Ordinance 1984 was revoked and followed by a new Act in 1996.

“That Act (1996) was incomplete. The previous Act was translated, amended and presented before the Cabinet as ‘BINA Act 2016,” he said.

He added that the institute was established under the same Act.

“The research institute’s main task is to make use of nuclear technology to innovate varieties of crops that adapt to the environment and climate,” the secretary said.

The draft Act provides for a 14-member board, led by the institute chairman, to take care of the institute’s management.

The proposed law makes it obligatory for BINA to submit an annual report to the government.

Once vetted by the law ministry, the document will be presented before the cabinet for final approval.

Parliament will pass the law once the Cabinet clears the final draft, said Secretary Alam.