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New law stipulates two years in jail, hefty fines for illegal ship-breaking yard
Parliament has passed a law stipulating two years in prison and Tk 3 million fines for setting up any ship-breaking yard without government permission.
Published : 24 Jan 2018, 04:59 PM
Updated : 24 Jan 2018, 05:20 PM
Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu placed the Bill, ‘Bangladesh Ship Recycling Bill 2018’, which was passed in a voice vote on Wednesday. The president will become sign it into law.
Earlier, the Bill was sent for scrutiny to a parliamentary committee formed to test public opinions on the Bill, and all the amendment proposals were accommodated.
The Bill was first placed in parliament on July 10 last year when it was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the industries ministry for scrutiny and a report back to the House.
The Bill has a provision to create a separate zone for shipbreaking.
It says the importers will be penalised if they bring any ship without a no-objection certificate from the authorities.
It also says breaking and recycling should be done in the area specified at the certificate.
The Bill also has a provision for punishment for producing a fake no-objection certificate.
The shipbreaking yards are mostly located in the Sitakunda area in Chittagong, but the workplace environment is alleged to be unsafe.
According to the Bill, a board will be constituted with an additional secretary of the ministry as its head to oversee the operations of the yards.
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