The policy will ensure competence in automobile engineering, and necessary facilities for production of automobiles and parts.

The cabinet on Monday approved the draft of a policy to develop the automobile industry in the country to meet growing demand.

The Automobile Industry Development Policy 2021 was approved at the weekly cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in chair.

"We need to develop the automobile industry in our own interest amid growing demand. We are thinking of the development of the automobile industry to some extent, and of not remaining dependent only on imports", said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam during the post-meeting media briefing.

He said there is potential for the development of the automobile industry in the country.

The main objective of the policy is to develop the local industry by ensuring competence in automobile engineering and necessary facilities for production of automobiles and parts, he said.

The cabinet secretary said another objective of the policy is to enhance the scope for cooperation and joint-investment between local automobile industries and international automobile brands, so that the products of famous brands and models can be produced locally at lower costs.

He quoted the Japanese ambassador in Dhaka as saying that a famous Japanese company has shown interest making their brands in Bangladesh.

Besides, the cabinet gave the final approval to the draft of the Delimitation of Constituencies Bill 2021, seeking to formulate an act to replace a military regime-era ordinance in line with the court's judgment.

"The proposed law has been designed to make an act instead of the existing Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance 1976", said the cabinet secretary.

No major change was brought to the draft law, he said.

The cabinet also cleared a proposal to accept the membership of the OIC's Women Development Organization (WDO) as well as ratification and signing of the WDO Statute to this end.