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Country gets 'Zoo Act' for first time

Police non-gazetted welfare fund bill placed in JS


October 26, 2023 00:00:00


Any visitors of the zoo will face fines or imprisonment if they irritate and hurt any animals, according to the proposed Zoo Bill-2023 which was passed in Parliament on Wednesday, reports UNB.

About Tk 2000 administrative compensation would be collected from such visitors for exasperating animals while two months of imprisonment and Tk5,000 will be imposed for injuring them or giving food without prior permission.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim moved the bill in the House and it was passed by voice votes with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

All the government zoos in the country will be run under it. Earlier, the Bangladesh National Zoo was managed through an advisory committee.

According to the proposed law, if a visitor enters into the zoo without an entry fee, he will be charged an equivalent amount of the entry fee.

Tk2000 compensation can be collected from that person considering the level.

If this law is passed, it will be an offence for any visitor to hurt or injure any zoo animal in any way, or to disobey the instructions of the curator or to give food without permission. For this, imprisonment for two months or a fine of Tk5000 or both will be given.

These crimes can be tried through mobile courts.

The Bill allows the painless death of an animal in a zoo due to age-related physical disability or infectious diseases to save the life of another animal or to prevent the unbearable sufferings of an animal in the interest of public health.

According to the Bill, under no circumstances can an animal of the same species of the same sex be kept in a zoo without a specific reason.

No animal shall be separated or kept singly from animals kept in groups for natural reasons except under the direction of the Veterinary Officer.

Considering the nature of the animal, it should be confined or kept free in cages with minimal natural environment or facilities.

The infrastructure of animal cages should be made considering the natural behaviour of the animals, the safety of the people involved in raising the animals concerned and the visitors.

The government may designate one or more zoos to preserve any endangered species.

According to the Bill, the information obtained from regular examination of each animal according to the applicability to determine the extent or level of diseases-germs or parasites which are transmissible from animal to animal or to humans in the body of animals in zoos must be stored separately for each animal in the manner prescribed by the rules.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Police (Non-Gazetted Employees) Welfare Fund Bill,2023 was placed in the Jatiya Sangsad in a view to play active role for the welfare of the non-gazetted cops and other employees by providing different financial grants.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan placed the bill in the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

Piloting the bill, the minister said the bill will replace and bring amendment of Police (Non-Gazetted Employees)Welfare Fund Ordinance, 1986.

A Police (Non-Gazetted Employees) Welfare Fund Management Board will be formed headed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) as its Chairman.

Under the Act, the welfare board can provide special welfare grants to the employees and their families from the welfare fund particularly for providing treatment facilities of incurable and complicated diseases, purchase of medical equipment for treatment of diseases, fund for burial and cremation and providing treatment for different kind of accident and injury.


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