1. This Ordinance may be called the Youth Welfare Fund Ordinance, 1985.

2. In this Ordinance, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-(a) “Board” means the Youth Welfare Fund Management Board established under section 5;(b) “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Board;(c) “Fund” means the Youth Welfare Fund established under section 3; (d) “member” means a member of the Board;(e) “Selection Committee” means the Selection Committee constituted under section 8;(f) “President's Order” means the Bangladesh Banks (Nationalisation) Order, 1972 (P.O. No. 26 of 1972);(g) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Ordinance;(h) “youth organisation” means any organisation which is formed for the purpose of development of youth and ¹[youth] welfare and registered under any law for the time being in force.

3. (1) There shall be established a Fund to be called the Youth Welfare Fund. (2) The Fund shall consist of-(a) grants made by the Government;(b) loans obtained from the Government;(c) donations and endowments;(d) receipt from such other sources as may be approved by the Board. (3) The Government shall make an initial grant of Taka fifty lakh to the Fund. (4) All moneys of the Fund shall be kept in any nationalised bank constituted under the President's Order or may be invested in Government securities or in such manner as the Government directs.

4. (1) The moneys of the Fund shall be utilised primarily for the purposes of-(a) making of grants-in-aid to youth organisations; ²[(b) awarding prizes and making grants to youths.] (2) All expenses in connection with the administration of the Fund shall be met out of the moneys of the Fund.

5. (1) There shall be a Board to be known as the Youth Welfare Fund Management Board for the purposes of this Ordinance. (2) The Board shall consist of the following members, namely:-(a) Minister in-charge of the Ministry or Division dealing with youth and sports, who shall also be the Chairman of the Board, ex-officio;(b) Secretary in-charge of Ministry or Division dealing with Social Welfare and Women's Affairs, ex-officio;(c) Secretary in-charge of Ministry or Division dealing with Labour and Manpower, ex-officio;(d) Secretary in-charge of Ministry or Division dealing with youth and sports, who shall also be the Secretary of the Board, ex-officio;(e) Director General, Department of Social Services, ex-officio; ³[(ee) Director General, Department of Youth Development, ex-officio;](f) four persons to be nominated by the Government from among the members of youth organisations. (3) A nominated member shall, unless removed by the Government, hold office for a period of two years from the date of his nomination. (4) A nominated member may, at any time, resign his office by writing under his hand addressed to the Chairman.

6. ⁴[(1) The Board shall-(a) formulate policies for making grants-in-aid to different youth organisations and awarding prizes and making grants to youths; (b) make grants-in-aid to youth organisations and award prizes and make grants to youths on the recommendation of the Selection Committee;(c) sanction expenditure out of the moneys of the Fund;(d) do such other acts or things as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance.] (2) The Secretary of the Board shall be responsible for implementation of the decisions of the Board.

7. (1) Save as hereinafter provided, the Board shall follow such procedure as may be prescribed. (2) The meeting of the Board shall be held on such date and at such time and place as may be determined by the Chairman: Provided that at least four meetings shall be held in each year. (3) To constitute a quorum at a meeting of the Board, not less than one-third of the total number of its members shall be present. (4) All meetings of the Board shall be presided over by the Chairman and, in his absence, by a member authorised by the Chairman in this behalf.

8. (1) There shall be a Selection Committee consisting of the following members, namely:-(a) Chairman of the Board, who shall also be the Chairman of the Selection Committee;(b) Secretary of the Board, who shall also be the Secretary of the Selection Committee;(c) Secretary in-charge of Ministry or Division dealing with Social Welfare and Women's Affairs, ex-officio;(d) Vice-Chancellor, Dhaka University, or his nominee;(e) two renowned social workers, of whom one shall be a woman, to be nominated by Ministry or Division dealing with youth and sports;(f) one journalist to be nominated by Ministry or Division dealing with youth and sports;(g) Director-General, Department of youth Development, ex-officio;(h) Managing Director of a nationalised bank constituted under the President's Order to be nominated by Ministry or Division dealing with youth and sports;(i) one retired Principal of a Government College to be nominated by Ministry or Division dealing with youth and sports;(j) Director-General, Bangladesh Unnayan Gobeshona Protishthan, ex-officio; (2) The Selection Committee shall select youth organisations for making grants-in-aid and members of youth organisations for making awards and recommend the organisations and members so selected to the Board for making the grants and awards for which they are selected. (3) The Selection Committee shall follow such procedure as may be determined by the Board.

⁵[9. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Ordinance,-(a) no grants-in-aid shall be made to a youth organisation unless it has any project for youth welfare or it is associated with any such project;(b) no prize shall be awarded nor any grant made to a youth unless he has to his credit a record of commendable performance in the field of youth or social welfare, or has made remarkable contribution in the field of education, science, technology, sports, arts and culture, or has shown exemplary patriotism, heroism or courage, or has rendered exemplary services to parents and elders.]

10. The Secretary of the Board may, with the approval of the Board, appoint such officers and other employees as he may consider necessary to assist him in the discharge of his functions.

11. (1) The accounts of the Fund shall be maintained in such manner and form as the Comptroller and Auditor-General of Bangladesh, hereinafter referred to as the Auditor-General, may, from time to time, direct. (2) The accounts of the Fund shall be audited by the Auditor-General. (3) A statement of audited accounts shall be furnished to the Government by the Board.

12. The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules for the purpose of giving effect to all or any of the provisions of this Ordinance.