Dhaka: The Cabinet on Monday gave the final approval to the draft of the 'Bangladesh Citizenship Bill, 2016', expanding the existing scope of having dual citizenship by expatriate Bangladeshis.

The approval means expatriate Bangladeshis staying in countries with which Bangladesh has diplomatic ties, except those states prohibited through the Bangladesh government's gazette notification, would be able to get dual citizenships.

The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Prime Minister's Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the law also has a provision of up to Tk one lakh fine or five years imprisonment or both for persons taking citizenship by giving false and distorted information and keeping facts hidden.

He, however, said the fine could be raised further holding a meeting by the Law Minister with the officials concerned in this regard following observations of the Cabinet.

The Cabinet Secretary said the proposed law has been rearranged after addressing the backdated issues and incompleteness of two existing laws --The Citizenship Act 1951 and the Bangladesh Citizenship Temporary Provisions Order 1972.

He said the law has six chapters and 28 sections which highlight the process for gaining citizenship, disqualification of getting citizenship, renouncing and dissolution of citizenship.

Shafiul Alam said the law incorporated and expanded the scope for getting dual citizenship since the expatriate Bangladeshis staying in the United States and Britain have long been enjoying such a facility.

According to the draft law, judges of the Supreme Court, members of parliament, persons holding the position of the constitutional posts as well as civil servants of the Republic and members of the disciplined forces will not get dual citizenship, he said.

He said the draft law has a provision of providing and reinstating the citizenships of Bangladesh to foreign nationals, but those nationals will not be able to contest any parliament election, or election to the post of president, contest the local government polls or form political party, would not become Supreme Court judges or get appointment in any post of the republic.

Shafiul Alam said any foreign national could be given honorary Bangladeshi citizenship for his or her special qualifications in social, science, literature, world peace, human development and cultural sector or making important contributions towards Bangladesh's development.

He said any foreign national will have to stay in Bangladesh for at least five years from the existing provision of four years in case of getting Bangladeshi citizenship for matrimonial relations.  

Except dual citizenship, if anyone shows allegiance directly or indirectly to other countries, participate in any force in any country and support that force against any war against Bangladesh, illegal migrants living in Bangladesh and those who showed allegiance to other countries except Bangladesh will not get Bangladeshi citizenship, he said.

Shafiul Alam said any Bangladeshi citizen can renounce his or her citizenship applying to the government of Bangladesh following the procedure specified in the draft law.  

However, the government could reinstate the citizenship of the nationals after reviewing the applications of those who had earlier renounced their Bangladeshi citizenships.

The meeting also decided to observe 10 March as the National Disaster Preparedness Day every year.

Ministers and State Ministers, and Secretaries concerned were present.