Cabinet approves draft fertiliser bill

The Cabinet has approved a draft law with provision of harsher punishment for selling adulterated fertiliser, reports UNB.

The approval of the draft of "The Fertiliser (Management) Amendment) Act, 2018" was given Monday at the weekly meeting of the cabinet.

The cabinet meeting 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 0.5 million fine or both.

The punishment in the existing law is six month imprisonment or Tk 30000 fine or both. Shafiul Alam said the draft law has been proposed bringing some changes in the existing law of 2006.

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".

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 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.