DNA Bill 2014 placed in JS

DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) Bill, 2014 was placed in Parliament on Monday, aiming to bring the existing DNA test procedure under a legal framework and to establish a national DNA database. Immediately after the House resumed sitting for the day around 11:10 am, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki placed the bill keeping a provision for maximum 10 years jail or highest Tk 0.5 million as fine or both for destroying, changing or polluting the sample of DNA profiling. The House sent the bill to the relevant parliamentary standing committee for further scrutiny and asked the committee to submit its report within 1 month. The bill was brought so that identity of culprits behind heinous crimes including rape and murder, parenthood, and brother-sister relation can be detected. According to the bill, the government can establish one or more than one DNA laboratories by issuing gazette. Also the existing National Forensic DNA Profiling Laboratory at Dhaka Medical College Hospital will be considered as a laboratory established under the law. Besides, there will be an Advisory Council comprising representatives from various ministries and institutions for proper implementation of the law. Women and Children Affairs Minister will be the chairperson of the council. There will also be a technical committee, while a national database would be prepared which will maintain secrecy of information about DNA profiling. In case of conducting DNA profiling without approval, jail will be of maximum five years and minimum three years, while the maximum fine is Tk 0.3 million. For collecting DNA related information or releasing information without approval, there will be highest three years in jail or Tk 50,000 as fine or both as punishment. The fine of the unapproved access to National DNA database is highest two years in jail or Tk 30,000 as fine or both, according to UNB.