Parliament yesterday passed 'The Seeds Bill, 2018' to make the existing law more time-befitting one, reports UNB. Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury moved the Bill in the House and it was passed by voice vote. According to the Bill, a 25-member National Seed Board will be constituted with the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture as its Chairman, while Director General (Seed Wing) under the Ministry of Agriculture will be its member secretary. It will mainly focus on seed control as well as control of seed quality.

There will be a Seed Certification Agency that will give permission and licence for seed dealership. Besides, there will be a post like 'Seed Inspector' who will make visits and inspect seed quality and dealership license. Creation of any obstacle by any seed dealer will be considered a punishable offence. For such offences, the dealer or person concerned will be sentenced to three months' imprisonment or be fined Tk 50,000 or both.

The punishment will double in the case of repetition of the offence. There is also a provision in the proposed law to operate mobile courts for its enforcement.