Bangladesh bans begging in public places

Impoverished Bangladesh will strictly enforce a new ban on begging that aims at fully eliminating it within five years, an official said Thursday. Mir Md Aslam, a spokesman for the Ministry of Social Welfare, said they were now preparing enforcement plans following a law passed in Parliament earlier this week. He said detailed guidelines were expected to be in place within a month. According to the new law, anyone caught begging in public places will face a maximum of three months' in jail. — AP