The cabinet approved the draft Bangladesh Hotel and Restaurant Act keeping the punishments of three-month imprisonment and Tk500,000 fine for violation.
The regular meeting at the Secretariat on Monday gave the approval. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.
According to the official sources, the draft law will be sent to the parliament for passage at the present session.
The proposed law will replace the Bangladesh Hotel and Restaurant Ordinance, 1982.
The ordinance was made during HM Ershad’s military regime in 1982.
The ordinance became invalid as the High Court ruled that HM Ershad’s takeover of state power was illegal, said Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan while briefing journalists following the meeting.
He said: “The new law provides clear definitions of hotel and restaurant.”
“The motels, resorts and other relevant business organisations will also be regarded as hotel and restaurant under the proposed law.”
It also has a provision for the registration of hotels and motels, the secretary added.
“The authority for registration will be mentioned in the regulation which will be made soon after the law comes into effect.”
Bhuiyan said the repeated violation of law will lead to doubling of punishment as per the law.
Previously, the punishment for it was only Tk5,000.