New law to govern daycare centres

Daycare centres for children in Bangladesh will have to pay as much as Tk 1 million in fine if they lack proper protection systems.

The cabinet approved a draft law on Monday with a provision to fine an unregistered daycare centre for children with Tk 50,000. 

The Child Daycare Centre Act 2020 was approved in principle at the regular cabinet meeting led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“They have to register with the Department of Registration for three years. Other rules will be explained in detail,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam.

A daycare centre for children without registration will be fined Tk 50,000 and will have to pay Tk 5,000 a day until it shows the certificate of registration, he said.

The law is drafted as there is a lack of dependable service centres for childcare, the cabinet secretary said.

"The law is drafted as the number of joint families is decreasing and more women are joining the workforce. They need daycare centres for minding their children.”

The law mentions various types of daycare centres: subsidised or free daycare centres run by the government, government agencies or autonomous institutions; private daycare centres for profit; and non-profit centres run by private companies or nongovernmental organisations.