DHAKA  – The cabinet today approved the draft of new Narcotics Control Act-2018 keeping a provision of awarding capital punishment for carrying, taking, selling or smuggling over 5 grams of yaba.

“The weekly cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office gave the approval,” Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam told a media briefing at Bangladesh Secretariat here.

Alam said a provision of 5-year or maximum 15 years imprisonment was kept in the law for carrying less than 5 gram yaba. Besides, provision of fine was kept for the both cases, he added.

The cabinet secretary said the previous ‘Narcotics Control Act’ was enacted in 1990 and the draft of the new law was formulated by coordinating the 28-year-old law with all international acts related to narcotics control.
He said the provision of strict measures was kept in the new act to control the massive spread of yaba tablets. Besides, the provision of capital punishment and minimum life-term imprisonment was kept for carrying 25 grams or more than 25 grams of heroin-cocaine or similar types of “Ka” category drugs.

Alam said any drink containing 0.5 percent or more than alcohol will be considered as beer.

License will be needed to sell such kinds of drink. If any condition of the license is violated, Taka one lakh fine will have to submit by offender.

The cabinet secretary said provisions about ‘Shisha Bar’ and dope test have been incorporated in the new law.

Besides, the cabinet gave final approval to the draft of Bangladesh Labour (amendment)

Act -2018 and it also cleared draft of Bangladesh Technical Education Board Act-2018.

The cabinet also congratulated Bangladesh U-18 national women’s football team for clinching the title of SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship.