The cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the Disabled Persons Protection and Rights Bill 2013, with provisions for hefty fines and up to three years in jail for discriminating against physically challenged people.
Briefing reporters after the regular cabinet meeting, held Monday at the parliament premises, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said under the proposed law, people with disabilities would be registered and provided with identity cards to protect their rights, reports UNB.
Bhuiyan said the law would ensure that people with disabilities do not endure discrimination in educational institutions or in work places.
“If they become victims of disparity, they’ll get compensation,” he said.
The secretary also said the organisations or persons concerned would be first asked to remove the disparity.
Legal action will be taken against them if they do not comply, and they will have to compensate the victims, he added.
“Those who fail to remove the disparity or provide compensation could face up to three years in jail or a fine of Tk500,000,” he said.
Meanwhile, those who obtain identity cards for the disabled through forgery will be given a maximum of seven years’ imprisonment or fined Tk500,000, he added.
The cabinet meeting also approved in principle the draft of the Geographical Indication Bill 2013, aiming to protect traditional goods and commodities of the country.
Bhuiyan said there were geographical indications of products like Muktagachha monda (sweets), Porabari chamcham, Padma hilsa and Chinigura rice.
He said interested individuals and organisations would have to apply to the authorities concerned for registering their products.
The cabinet meeting also endorsed the draft of the Mandatory Use of Jute Packaging (amendment) Bill 2013, to include the chiefs of Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation, Bangladesh Jute Mills Association and Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association as members of a relevant advisory council.