The Fish and Fish Products (Inspection and Quality Control) Bill, 2020 was placed in Parliament, aiming to ensure harsher  punishment for marketing and exporting fish or fish products mixing harmful chemicals.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim placed the Bill in the House and it was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for further examination.

The committee was asked to submit its report within 30 days.

As per the bill, the punishment for violation of the law is minimum five years imprisonment, Tk five lakh fine or both.

According to the existing Fish and Fish Products (Inspection and Quality Control) Ordinance, 1983, the punishment is just maximum six months’ imprisonment, Tk 5,000 fine or both.

The Fish and Fish Products (Inspection and Quality Control) Bill has been framed for the protection and expansion of export market of Bangladeshi fish and fish products, and for supplying quality ones to local markets.

Without having license, no-one can export fish and fish products, set up or run a factory or any establishment in this regard as per the proposed law.

As per the bill, the license can be revoked on different grounds, including violation of conditions mentioned in the license, providing false information or concealing information, failure of renewing license for three consecutive years, and handing over and selling the license.

If the inspection officer finds unhygienic environment in factories or establishment or sub-standard quality of processing during inspection, the administrative penalty would be maximum Tk five lakh fine.