31 January 2017

Govt to establish ship recycling zone in Chittagong

A zone for ship recycling industry will be established in Chittagong and the industry owners will have to set up yards and conduct their activities within the zone.

The Cabinet on Monday gave approved the draft of "The Bangladesh Ship Recycling Law, 2017" in this regard.

The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed the reporters after meeting, reports BSS.

Govt to establish ship recycling zone in Ctg

He said that the ship recycling industries will have to abide by the international law and conventions.

Under the new law, a new 11-member board will be constituted to oversee the activities of the ship recycling industries with an additional secretary of the Ministry of Industries as its chairman.

A representative each from the Ministries of Industries, Forests and Environment, Labour and Employment, and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, NBR, Chittagong Port Authority, President of the Ship Recycling Industries Association, and two members from the Ship Recycling Industries Association and the Director General of the Board will be included as member of the board.

The board will oversee the activities of the ship recycling industries and it will sit thrice a year.

About the punishment, the Cabinet Secretary said that if anyone establishes yard without permission, the punishment for such offence is maximum two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million or maximum Tk 3 million fine or both.

Alam said the punishment for importing ship without NOC is two years jail or minimum Tk1 million fine or maximum Tk 3 million fine.

He said that if anybody brings a ship ashore and recycles it without NOC certificate, then the punishment is also maximum two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million fine which could be maximum Tk 3 million.

The Cabinet Secretary said that the punishment for availing facility through fake certificate is maximum five years jail or minimum Tk 0.5 million as fine or maximum Tk 2 million in fine.

In the case of setting up yards outside of the zone, he said, the punishment is two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million as fine which could be as high as Tk 3 million.

Source: the financial express. 30 Jan 2017

No comments: