Cabinet clears Bangladesh Patent Bill 2021

The cabinet today approved the draft of 'Bangladesh Patent Bill 2021', aiming to make the century-old patent law more time-befitting.

The approval came from the weekly cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chairing the meeting virtually from her Gono Bhaban residence.

A registrar office will be there to issue and cancel patent against any single inventor or joint inventors of any technological innovation under the proposed law, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters after the meeting.

"The owners will be given the patent of any innovation for 20 years after receiving application, and then it will be a public (property)," he said.

The cases, particularly general rights and compensation-related issues under the draft law, will be treated as civil affairs and be tried by civil courts. But cheating and similar offences will be dealt under the penal code, he said.

"If anyone fails to carry out the orders under different articles of the proposed law, the compensation would be Tk 5-10 lakh, said the cabinet secretary.