The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of ‘The Chittagong Development Authority Bill, 2016’ making harsher the punishment for violation of the law by raising both jail term and fine to make it more time-befitting one.

The approval was given at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, reports UNB.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the draft law has been proposed in Bangla reorganising the existing Chittagong Development Authority Act of 1959 to give a framework for the construction of establishments in the areas under the CDA.

‘The draft of the CDA Bill has been formulated in light of the previously framed Rajshahi and Cox’s Bazar Development Authority Acts,’ he said.

As per the draft law, the Chairman would be the head of the Authority to be appointed by the government.

Shafiul Alam said there is a provision of maximum two years of imprisonment or Tk 10 lakh as fine or both the punishments for violation of the law by the Chairman or any member of the authority while holding their posts. ‘In this case, the punishment will be applicable as per section 168 of the penal code,’ Shafiul Alam said.

He said for violation of the law in removing boundary wall, pillar or lights from the road, there is a provision of maximum Tk five lakh as fine that was only Tk 200 in the previous law.

Besides, if any owner of establishment, such as building or wall, violates the law those would have to pay maximum Tk five lakh as fine, while the amount would be maximum Tk 50,000 in the case of the non-brick establishments.

Alam said the draft law also has a provision of imposing up to Tk 10 lakh as fine for building any establishment violating the rules of the law in an area for which a master plan has already been framed.

The Cabinet also approved in principle the draft of the ‘The Housing and Building Research Institute Bill, 2016’ after reorganising the previous marshal law ordinance of 1977 after translating it into Bangla.

The Cabinet Secretary said there is no such big change in the proposed law, but the designation of the institute head has been upgraded to Director General from the existing Director.

Besides, there will be a 20-member managing council of the Institute to be headed by the Minister or State Minister of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works concerned while the Ministry Secretary will act as the vice chairman of the Managing Council.

The Cabinet meeting also gave approval in principle to the draft of ‘The Bangladesh Veterinary Council Bill, 2016’ after translating into Bangla the Marshall Law regime ordinance titled ‘The Bangladesh Veterinary Practitioners Ordinance, 1982’.

Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the Council has so far given registration to some 5,150 Veterinary surgeons across the country.