Law Minister Anisul Huq on Wednesday said the government has planned to increase the punishment for formalin-related offences to life term imprisonment from the existing 10 years’ jail as the maximum punishment.
The minister said this while addressing a meeting on the proposed formalin control law at the conference room of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) in the city.
Anisul Huq came up with the assurance as the business community has long been demanding for a provision in the proposed law for providing capital punishment to those who lace food items with formalin.
“You’re demanding capital punishment for such offences, but there’re widespread criticisms across the world against death penalty. So, we can think of life term imprisonment,” he said.
The Law Minister hoped that the Formalin Control Bill would be passed in Parliament in its next session keeping a provision of life time imprisonment.
The FBCCI organised the meeting with its president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmad in the chair.
Anisul Huqu said it is not possible to ensure proper enforcement of the law unless the law enforcing agencies play their part and people abide by the law.
Seeking cooperation from the business community, the Law Minister said businesspeople should extend cooperation to the law enforcing agencies for proper enforcement of the law.
About trial under the proposed Formalin Control Act-2013, Anisul Huqu said mobile court will hand down punishment up to two years; imprisonment for such offence and a special court will require for more than two years of jail, the Law Minister told the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, former commerce minister GM Quader said abuse of formalin would come down after the draft bill come into a law.
In his key notepaper, FBCCI vice president Helel Uddin demanded incorporation of a section in the proposed law restricting formalin import by private organisations. “Instead, the government can import formalin through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). And only authorised organisation should be allowed to buy formalin from the TCB,” he added.
The FBCCI president, in his opening speech, said the government has to ensure safe food people as this is their right.
He demanded a provision of capital punishment in the draft Formalin Control Bill. “Enact such a law so that nobody can dare to get involved in contaminating foods,” he added.
Law secretary Shahidul Haque, FBCCI first vice-president Monwara Hakim and its other leaders were, among others, present at the meeting.
Source: UNB Connect
