The Jatiya Sangsad yesterday passed the “Cantonment Bill, 2018” in an amended form as recommended by the parliamentary standing committee for incorporating tougher punishment for delaying the construction of buildings and breaking traffic rules in the cantonment areas and JS unanimously passed the Meteorology Bill, 2018 in an amended form for enactment a new meteorological law, reports BSS.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq moved the bill with Deputy Speaker M Fazley Rabbi Miah presiding over the House proceeding. Later, the House passed the bill with voice votes.

According to the object of the proposed bill, it was made reorganising and amending the existing Cantonment Act of 1924 to make it more time-befitting.

The minister said the existing law is a very old one having 292 sections while the proposed law contained 219 sections within 16 chapters dropping the unnecessary ones and incorporating some new sections. In the proposed bill, the amount of various fees and fine on 43 different subjects including exceeding the completion period in construction of building, violation of traffic law, begging with distorted organs, carrying arms and exploding firecrackers, in the areas under Cantonment Board have been substantially increased from the about 90-year-old law.

The proposed bill has a provision of up to Taka 20,000 as fine for delaying the construction works of any building for more than three times, while the amount would be up to Taka 50,000 for delaying the construction works for more than five times instead of Tk 100 fine in the existing law. Justice and Parliament Affairs Minister Anisul Haq moved the Meteorology Bill. Piloting the bill, Law Minister said the Bangladesh Metrological Department (BMD) is a specialized meteorology and climate research organisation under the Defence Ministry. He said the BMD is relentlessly working and providing accurate meteorology related information through carrying out analysis the international and regional weather information and data, but there is no act on the affairs.

To this end, the parliamentary standing committee on the defence on May 28 in 2015 at its 9th meeting recommended for enactment of a law in this regard, he added.

The proposed “Meteorological Act, 2018 has nine chapter and 31 section. The lawmakers thanked the Law Minister as the government has taken a time-befitting initiative for its importance.