The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The government yesterday formed a 17-member Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC) for modernising century-old government rules and regulations for establishing a dynamic administration in this age of globalisation and regional cooperation.

A government notification here said former adviser of the caretaker government Dr Akbar Ali Khan is the part-time chairman of the RRC.

Part-time members are former advisers of the caretaker government Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury and Manzur-e-Elahi, cabinet secretary, governor of Bangladesh Bank, establishment secretary, finance secretary (finance division), home secretary, law secretary, commerce secretary, environment and forest secretary, NBR chairman, BOI executive chairman, FBCCI president, Chairman of Marc Group MA Rouf Chowdhury, executive chairman of PPRC Hossain Zillur Rahman and executive director of CPD Dr Mustafizur Rahman.

The Chief Adviser's office will be the administrative secretariat of the commission, official sources said.

Executive chairman of the BOI (Board of Investment) will perform the responsibilities as the member-secretary of the commission. The BOI will also carry out the secretarial task.

The tenure of the RRC will be one year and any expert may be co-opted as per the terms of reference.

The notification said it has been observed that the rules and regulations related to investment and business in some cases are complex, lengthy and unnecessary, which need to be modernised for accelerating the economic growth.

According the terms of reference, the RRC will review the existing government rules and regulations, and submit recommendations for voiding unnecessary ones.

The RRC will be authorised to gather information from any government, semi-government, autonomous or private organisation and all concerned will cooperate with the commission providing necessary data and facts, the notification said.

It also said, in case of investment, trade and commerce, the commission will be able to take recommendations from development partners of national, regional and international levels, and from Bangladesh Better Business Forum and its working groups.