UNB, Dhaka :
The Cabinet on Monday in principle approved the draft of “The Fertiliser (Management) Amendment) Act, 2018” with provision of harsher punishment for selling adulterated fertiliser.
The approval was given at the weekly meeting of the cabinet held at the Prime Minister’s Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said according to the draft law, the punishment for selling adulterated fertiliser would be two-year imprisonment or Tk five lakh fine or both.
The punishment in the existing law is six-month imprisonment or Tk 30,000 fine or both. Shafiul Alam said the draft law has been proposed bringing some changes in the existing law of 2006. Under the draft law, number of the members of the National Fertiliser Standardization Committee headed by the Agriculture Minister would be 17 instead of existing 15 ones. As per the existing law, any appeal regarding fertiliser management shall be disposed of within 10 days of submission of the appeal.
In this regard, the cabinet Secretary said, a new sub-section has been incorporated keeping provision of review under which any aggrieved person can file review petition. The cabinet meeting also gave final approval to the draft of “Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute Act, 2018” and “The Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) Act, 2018.” The Cabinet Secretary said according to the draft law, entire Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions will come under the BMDA instead of only greater Rajshahi’s four districts- Rajshahi, Bogra, Rangpur and Dinajpur districts. About the structure of the BMDA, he said there will be an advisory council headed by the Agriculture Minister which will be responsible for drafting policy. Other members of the council will be appointed from 18 different categories including local parliament members, secretaries of the ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Environment, Power and Energy and Water Resources and the BMDA Chairman, the BADC Chairman, and Divisional Commissioners of Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions.
Shafiul said there will also be an 11-member board of directors with Chairman of the authority as its Chairman and the board will accomplish its day-to-day works. Besides, the cabinet in principle approved the draft of National Defence Policy 2018 outlined on the basis of the existing Defence Policy of 1974 formulated by Bangabandhu.
The Cabinet Secretary said the new policy has a detailed guidelines on the capability of the armed forces, its relation with media and people. During wartime and crisis moment of the country, all paramilitary and supportive forces like Police, BGB, Coast Guard and BNCC will work under operational command of the Armed Forces, he said. The cabinet also unanimously adopted a condolence motion expressing profound shock and sorrow at the death of 49 people, including 26 Bangladeshi nationals, in the US-Bangla Plane crash on 12th March last at Tribhuban International airport in Kathmandu of Nepal. Besides, another condolence motion was also adopted by the cabinet expressing deep shock at the death of noted freedom fighter and sculptor Ferdousi Priyabhashini.
The Cabinet on Monday in principle approved the draft of “The Fertiliser (Management) Amendment) Act, 2018” with provision of harsher punishment for selling adulterated fertiliser.
The approval was given at the weekly meeting of the cabinet held at the Prime Minister’s Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said according to the draft law, the punishment for selling adulterated fertiliser would be two-year imprisonment or Tk five lakh fine or both.
The punishment in the existing law is six-month imprisonment or Tk 30,000 fine or both. Shafiul Alam said the draft law has been proposed bringing some changes in the existing law of 2006. Under the draft law, number of the members of the National Fertiliser Standardization Committee headed by the Agriculture Minister would be 17 instead of existing 15 ones. As per the existing law, any appeal regarding fertiliser management shall be disposed of within 10 days of submission of the appeal.
In this regard, the cabinet Secretary said, a new sub-section has been incorporated keeping provision of review under which any aggrieved person can file review petition. The cabinet meeting also gave final approval to the draft of “Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute Act, 2018” and “The Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) Act, 2018.” The Cabinet Secretary said according to the draft law, entire Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions will come under the BMDA instead of only greater Rajshahi’s four districts- Rajshahi, Bogra, Rangpur and Dinajpur districts. About the structure of the BMDA, he said there will be an advisory council headed by the Agriculture Minister which will be responsible for drafting policy. Other members of the council will be appointed from 18 different categories including local parliament members, secretaries of the ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Environment, Power and Energy and Water Resources and the BMDA Chairman, the BADC Chairman, and Divisional Commissioners of Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions.
Shafiul said there will also be an 11-member board of directors with Chairman of the authority as its Chairman and the board will accomplish its day-to-day works. Besides, the cabinet in principle approved the draft of National Defence Policy 2018 outlined on the basis of the existing Defence Policy of 1974 formulated by Bangabandhu.
The Cabinet Secretary said the new policy has a detailed guidelines on the capability of the armed forces, its relation with media and people. During wartime and crisis moment of the country, all paramilitary and supportive forces like Police, BGB, Coast Guard and BNCC will work under operational command of the Armed Forces, he said. The cabinet also unanimously adopted a condolence motion expressing profound shock and sorrow at the death of 49 people, including 26 Bangladeshi nationals, in the US-Bangla Plane crash on 12th March last at Tribhuban International airport in Kathmandu of Nepal. Besides, another condolence motion was also adopted by the cabinet expressing deep shock at the death of noted freedom fighter and sculptor Ferdousi Priyabhashini.
