Staff correspondent:

The Prime Minister has ordered to ensure that the competition in government procurement should be more open and free. Some companies can’t afford it, but they’re still getting work done. This is delaying the work. To get out of this, the Prime Minister has given instructions to change the relevant rules. The Prime Minister gave this directive in an unscheduled discussion at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday. Later, Cabinet Secretary. Mahbub Hossain held a press conference at the secretariat and announced the decision of the meeting.
Mahbub Hossain said that the draft of ‘Finance Company Act, 2023’ was approved in the meeting. According to the proposed amendment, no individual or his related party or members of the same family can buy more than 15% of the shares of the company. He said that those who currently have more than 15 percent share, the proposed law has also fixed what to do. Within two years of the coming into effect of this Act, the excess shares shall be transferred to persons who are not family members and do not hold the maximum shareholding limit in the company. If not, the shares will be forfeited at the discretion of the government. He said that the definition of family has also been defined in the proposed law. Family means wife or husband, parents, sons and daughters, siblings and all dependents of that person. The proposed law would allow for 15 directors, including two independent directors. The proposed law also prescribes punishment for various offences.
The draft of Dr. MA Wazed Mia Agriculture Act, 2023 was given final approval in the meeting. The new university will be in Natore. It will give priority to agricultural education. 
In the Cabinet meeting, the Cabinet approved the draft of the Village Courts (Amendment) Act, 2023. It has been proposed to increase the power of village court to impose fine from 75 thousand to 3 lakh taka.
The Cabinet meeting approved the draft Sustainable Public Procurement Policy (2023). Apart from this, the report on the implementation of the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting held in July-September this year was presented in the meeting.
The cabinet has approved the list of government holidays for next year. Like this year, next year too, the public holiday will be 22 days. However, between these public holidays next year, the weekend falls on Friday for two days. Out of 22 days of this year, 8 days fall on Friday and Saturday. At the end of every year, the cabinet approves the list of public holidays for the next year.