The cabinet on Monday approved the draft of Breast Milk Substitutes Commercial Production and Equipment (Regulation and Marketing) Act 2013, which includes a provision for banning the advertisement of milk powder and infant food to discourage the use of such substitutes.
A maximum of three years of jail or Tk500,000 or both have been recommended in the draft as penalty for the violation of the ban.
The cabinet approved the draft in its regular meeting held at the secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters, “We had a Breast Milk Substitutes Commercial Production (Regulation and Marketing) Ordinance which is 30 years old. It’s too old for the present situation.”
“Considering the overall situation the government has taken the decision to enact a new law prohibiting the advertisement of milk powder and infant foods. The production and marketing of these food items will carry on as usual, but the advertising will be banned,” the cabinet secretary said.
The government has taken the decision to encourage mothers to breastfeed infants. The restriction on advertisement will discourage mothers from using substitute foods for their babies, Bhuyian hoped.
Cabinet secretary said the producers and traders of infants’ foods, including milk powder, will have to register with concerned authorities to produce and market supplementary food.
Without prior permission, import of these goods and their manufacturing equipment will be also restricted. Violation of the law will be a punishable offense, he added.
The punishment will be doubled for repeat offenders. Mobile courts will be able to hold trials for the offenses under the law, he said.
