UNB, Dhaka :
The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of the ‘Bangladesh Ship Recycling Bill, 2015’ aiming to
limit the fast growing industry to a designated area considering environmental hazards and regulate its activities with tough measures, including hefty fines.
The draft law also proposed formation of a regulatory authority, ‘Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board’, in this regard. The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the draft law proposes creating a ship recycling zone to enhance monitoring and minimising environmental hazards, forming Ship Recycling Board for better regulation of the industry and making provision of punishment both in monetary and jail term for violating the law.
The law kept provision of minimum Tk 10 lakh and maximum Tk 30 lakh fine and maximum one year imprisonment or both for importing ships, breaking or anchoring in the coast without prior permission of the Ship Recycling Board.
Besides, the law also kept a provision of minimum Tk 5 lakh or maximum Tk 20 lakh fine or up to six months jail or both for providing fake information in the NOC. Apart from this, maximum Tk 30 lakh fine and 1 year imprisonment was proposed for constructing shipyard outside the zone without the approval of the Board, the Cabinet Secretary added.
The Cabinet also gave not to the draft of the ‘Petroleum Bill, 2015’ subject to the vetting of the Law Ministry to regulate import, storage and transportation of petroleum more efficiently through making the existing law a time-befitting one.
The Cabinet secretary said the Energy and Mineral Resources Division placed the draft Bill in Bangla in line with the earlier Cabinet decision after necessary review and updating the Petroleum Act, 1934 and the Petroleum Amendment Ordinance, 1986.
He said the proposed law kept a provision of raising punishment for violating the rules under the law, including petroleum production, refining, mixing, recycling or reusing.
The Cabinet Secretary said in case of not denial in providing information by the authorities concerned about any accident under the Section 24 (1. Cha) of the draft law, the punishment has been raised to six months’ jail or Tk 10,000 fine or both.
If the offence is repeated, he said the punishment will double to one year jail or Tk 20,000 fine or both. M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said a provision has been created under the rules of the proposed law to regulate the issues relating to petroleum import, storage and movement.
He said rules would also have to be followed under the law on petroleum production, mixing, refining, recycling and reuse.
Besides, he said, the caution sign or note will have to be displayed on petroleum containers, while the authorized officers have been empowered to collect petroleum specimen, issue monitoring certificates.
The authorised officers will also be able to conduct search or seize dubious things during petroleum production, distribution and transportation.
The draft law also categorised petroleum in three classes-class one, class two and class three-considering their heating value. The Cabinet also reviewed the implementation progress of its decision for the 2nd quarter (April-June) period of 2015 where the success rate was 64.71 percent comparing to 55.93 percent of the corresponding period of the previous year.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister gave a four-point directive to further speed up the implementation process which was also endorsed by the Cabinet.
Under the directives, the concerned ministries and divisions in their monthly coordination meeting will have to review the implementation of the Cabinet decisions, while the Lead Ministry give extra efforts where more Ministries are involved in implementation of Cabinet decisions. But, the Cabinet Division should have to be informed and provided with concerned documents soon after implementation of the Cabinet decisions by the Ministries and Divisions. Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting. Secretaries concerned were also present.
The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of the ‘Bangladesh Ship Recycling Bill, 2015’ aiming to
limit the fast growing industry to a designated area considering environmental hazards and regulate its activities with tough measures, including hefty fines.
The draft law also proposed formation of a regulatory authority, ‘Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board’, in this regard. The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the draft law proposes creating a ship recycling zone to enhance monitoring and minimising environmental hazards, forming Ship Recycling Board for better regulation of the industry and making provision of punishment both in monetary and jail term for violating the law.
The law kept provision of minimum Tk 10 lakh and maximum Tk 30 lakh fine and maximum one year imprisonment or both for importing ships, breaking or anchoring in the coast without prior permission of the Ship Recycling Board.
Besides, the law also kept a provision of minimum Tk 5 lakh or maximum Tk 20 lakh fine or up to six months jail or both for providing fake information in the NOC. Apart from this, maximum Tk 30 lakh fine and 1 year imprisonment was proposed for constructing shipyard outside the zone without the approval of the Board, the Cabinet Secretary added.
The Cabinet also gave not to the draft of the ‘Petroleum Bill, 2015’ subject to the vetting of the Law Ministry to regulate import, storage and transportation of petroleum more efficiently through making the existing law a time-befitting one.
The Cabinet secretary said the Energy and Mineral Resources Division placed the draft Bill in Bangla in line with the earlier Cabinet decision after necessary review and updating the Petroleum Act, 1934 and the Petroleum Amendment Ordinance, 1986.
He said the proposed law kept a provision of raising punishment for violating the rules under the law, including petroleum production, refining, mixing, recycling or reusing.
The Cabinet Secretary said in case of not denial in providing information by the authorities concerned about any accident under the Section 24 (1. Cha) of the draft law, the punishment has been raised to six months’ jail or Tk 10,000 fine or both.
If the offence is repeated, he said the punishment will double to one year jail or Tk 20,000 fine or both. M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said a provision has been created under the rules of the proposed law to regulate the issues relating to petroleum import, storage and movement.
He said rules would also have to be followed under the law on petroleum production, mixing, refining, recycling and reuse.
Besides, he said, the caution sign or note will have to be displayed on petroleum containers, while the authorized officers have been empowered to collect petroleum specimen, issue monitoring certificates.
The authorised officers will also be able to conduct search or seize dubious things during petroleum production, distribution and transportation.
The draft law also categorised petroleum in three classes-class one, class two and class three-considering their heating value. The Cabinet also reviewed the implementation progress of its decision for the 2nd quarter (April-June) period of 2015 where the success rate was 64.71 percent comparing to 55.93 percent of the corresponding period of the previous year.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister gave a four-point directive to further speed up the implementation process which was also endorsed by the Cabinet.
Under the directives, the concerned ministries and divisions in their monthly coordination meeting will have to review the implementation of the Cabinet decisions, while the Lead Ministry give extra efforts where more Ministries are involved in implementation of Cabinet decisions. But, the Cabinet Division should have to be informed and provided with concerned documents soon after implementation of the Cabinet decisions by the Ministries and Divisions. Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting. Secretaries concerned were also present.
