The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of Biodiversity Act with a provision of maximum five years imprisonment and Tk 10 lakh fine or both for its violation, aiming at strengthening the measures of biodiversity conservation in the country.
The approval of 'Bangladesh Biodiversity Bill, 2015' was given in the weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, state-run news agency BSS reported.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the proposed law highlighted biodiversity in the perspective of Bangladesh. As a signatory to the Conventional Biological Diversity of the UN, it was important for Bangladesh to frame the law to protect biodiversity.
The Cabinet secretary said committees would be there to at national, district, upazila and union levels to oversee the implementation of the law.
Two other acts are- Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award Fund Act-2015 and Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship Trust Act-2015. Besides, the cabinet also approved the National Standard (goods and services) Policy in compliance with the requirement of the WTO.
The Cabinet also gave nod to the 'National Qualitative Standard (goods and services) Policy, 2015' to take effective the steps for upgrading BSTI and Bangladesh Accreditation Board to international standard, the cabinet secretary said.
The Cabinet also gave final approval to the draft of 'Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship Trust Bill, 2015' to give a permanent shape to the Trust.
Shafiul Alam said that the Bangabandhu fellowship is being provided to those involved in science and technology research or higher education both at home and abroad since 2010 under a project.
