Tk 20,000 fine for begging on cantonment roads under proposed law

A new law proposed by the government will fine people Tk 20,000 for begging, gambling, drunken behaviour and urinating on any cantonment road in the country.

The law also proposes similar fines on the transportation of meat without a cover and the open display of disabilities.

A draft of the Cantonments Act 2017 was approved at a cabinet meeting led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday.

The new law updates the 1924 Cantonments Act, Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam told the media after the end of the meeting.

Some of the previous law’s 292 sections were dropped and others were added.

The new law will have 218 sections and scale up fines for various offences to Tk 20,000.

“Areas under the cantonment board are like a municipality,” the cabinet secretary said. “This means that just as the municipal board manages their municipality, the cantonment board will manage its own areas. The new law will define the cantonment board’s activities.”

“The fines on 43 offences identified 90 years ago have been increased.”