Cabinet approves law to protect Bangladesh's biodiversity

The Bangladesh government has endorsed a biodiversity-protection law stipulating five years’ imprisonment and a fine of Tk 10,000 for those guilty of its infringement.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 Nov 2015, 12:48 PM
Updated : 23 Nov 2015, 02:39 PM

The Cabinet approved the draft of the ‘Bangladesh Biodiversity Act-2015’ at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday, two and half years after it had been proposed.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told reporters the draft had been endorsed in principle on Jun 10, 2013.

“It was placed for final approval after all options had been examined. The approval came at the end of a detailed discussion,” he added.

The draft prohibits individuals and organisations from gathering information or knowledge, doing conservation work, research on, and making commercial use of ‘biodiversity or bio-resources’ without official sanction.

A violation of the law could lead to imprisonment of up to a maximum of five years or a fine of up to Tk 10,000 or both. These penalties had been stated in the draft placed before the Cabinet in 2013.

A national body will be constituted to sanction the use of data and information concerning biodiversity. Its work willdevolve down to the grassroots level, Alam said.

Bangladesh, he said, was a signatory to the UN biodiversity convention and it was important to preserve its myriad species in the interest of the country’s teeming millions.

“Article 18(a) of our Constitution makes the state responsible for the protection of biodiversity. This is an obligation on our part. Besides, Bangladesh is a signatory to the international agreement, ‘Convention on Biological Diversity’, committing us to biotic reservation."

When asked about the new law, Additional Cabinet Secretary Md Moin Uddin told bdnews24.com the law would carry restrictions for non-resident citizens and foreigners, besides organisations not registered under existing Bangladeshi law.

“Such individuals and establishments will be barred from doing certain work on the country’s flora and fauna. Bangladeshi citizens will, however, be able to do research and perform the work that others will not be entitled to.”

He said Intellectual Property Rights can be sought through the national committee for any discovery made through research.

Such protection cannot be sought from any national or international organisation by bypassing the national body.

“No one will be able to sell or transfer one’s Intellectual Property Rights without the committee’s sanction.​