Maximum punishment for mutiny in Coast Guard death sentence

The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of the ‘Bangladesh Coast Guard Bill, 2014’ with a provision of maximum punishment of death sentence for mutiny in the force. The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the proposed law aims to make the Coast Guard a disciplined, skilled and effective force through updating the existing 1994 act. He said the 1994 act was incomplete as there was no specific directive about the discipline of the Coast Guard members who usually discharge their duties for curbing piracy in coastal areas as well as checking smuggling and ensuring people’s security. But, the Cabinet directed the authorities concerned to review the draft by a number of secretaries headed by the Law Minister and make necessary suggestions before placing for the Law Ministry vetting, Musharraf added. In the formulation process of the proposed law, Musharraf said, necessary assistance has been taken from the newly-formulated BGB Act alongside associating Navy, BGB, Ministry of Public Administration and drafting specialists. The proposed law defined various mutiny-related offences, trial procedure, capital punishment for mutiny apart from other offences, according to a news agency.