SANGSAD BHABAN, April 03, 2021 (BSS) – The Mongla Port Authority Bill, 2021 was placed in the Jatiya Sangsad today with a provision of tougher punishment for polluting environment.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury placed the bill with Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
Piloting the bill, the state minister said the act will abolish the Chalna Port Authority Ordinance 1976.
As per the bill, the punishment for harming the environment by polluting water, land, and coast has been raised to one-year imprisonment or a fine of Tk 5 lakh or both. The fine is Tk 50,000 in the existing ordinance.
According to a new provision incorporated in the bill, the punishment for dodging toll, fee, and other charges of the port will invite a one-year jail term or a fine of Tk 1 lakh or both.
Six months imprisonment or fine Tk 2 lakh or both would be imposed if there is any violation of the law while the punishment is only a six-month jail and a fine of Tk 50,000 under the existing ordinance.
Besides, some new terminologies like “inland water vessel,” “terminal,” “berth”, “container freight station” and “lease” have been incorporated in the bill.
According to the bill, there will be a seven-member board to run the port. The number of the board members is now four in the existing ordinance.
The port authority can declare restricted the port area through a special order.
The state minister urged the parliament to send the bill to the respective standing committee for further scrutiny. The committee was asked to submit its report within two months.