ZCZC
BSS-18
CABINET-NARCOTICS-ACT
Cabinet nods draft law keeping death penalty for yaba dealers
DHAKA, Oct 08, 2018 (BSS) – The cabinet today approved the draft of new
Narcotics Control Act-2018 keeping a provision of awarding capital punishment
for carrying, taking, selling or smuggling over 5 grams of yaba.
“The weekly cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the
chair at her office gave the approval,” Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam
told a media briefing at Bangladesh Secretariat here.
Alam said a provision of 5-year or maximum 15 years imprisonment was
kept in the law for carrying less than 5 gram yaba. Besides, provision of
fine was kept for the both cases, he added.
The cabinet secretary said the previous ‘Narcotics Control Act’ was
enacted in 1990 and the draft of the new law was formulated by coordinating
the 28-year-old law with all international acts related to narcotics control.
He said the provision of strict measures was kept in the new act to control
the massive spread of yaba tablets. Besides, the provision of capital
punishment and minimum life-term imprisonment was kept for carrying 25 grams
or more than 25 grams of heroin-cocaine or similar types of “Ka” category
drugs.
Alam said any drink containing 0.5 percent or more than alcohol will be
considered as beer.
License will be needed to sell such kinds of drink. If any condition of
the license is violated, Taka one lakh fine will have to submit by offender.
The cabinet secretary said provisions about ‘Shisha Bar’ and dope test
have been incorporated in the new law.
Besides, the cabinet gave final approval to the draft of Bangladesh
Labour (amendment)
Act -2018 and it also cleared draft of Bangladesh Technical Education
Board Act-2018.
The cabinet also congratulated Bangladesh U-18 national women’s football
team for clinching the title of SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship.
BSS/Asg/BKD/MKD/RY/1744 hrs