Animal Slaughter, Meat Quality Control Bill approved

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The Cabinet Monday approved the draft of The Animal Slaughter and Meat Quality Control Bill 2010 to control spread of Anthrax and some other contagious diseases, reports UNB.
The government has amended the Animal Slaughter (Restriction) and Meat (Control) Act' 1983 to enact the fresh law, said Prime Minister' s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad.
The hours-long cabinet meeting was held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the secretariat.
The previous law did not have any directive regarding slaughtering of sick animals and marketing of unhygienic meats. Besides, hens, ducks and some other animals and birds were not incorporated in the previous law.
According to paper documents placed in the cabinet meeting, there will be provision of issuing licence for operating meat selling centres and meat processing industries.
The government will also create a legal structure on export of meat and meat products as the draft law said.
Health experts in collaboration with administration will ensure testing of animals and its meats before these go to the markets. There is also provision of punishment to those persons who will be responsible for slaughtering sick animals and marketing of unhygienic meats and meat products.
Besides, the persons working in animal slaughtering and meat marketing centres and meat products industries will go through regular medical checkup.
The drafts of Administrative Tribunals (Amendment) Bill 2010, Local Government (Union Parishad) (Amendment) Bill 2010 and Competition Bill 2010 were also approved by the cabinet.