Life term proposed for foodstuff hoarders

A bill with a provision of maximum life imprisonment for illegal hoarding of foodstuff was placed in parliament today.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder placed the "Production, Storage, Transfer, Transportation, Supply, Distribution and Marketing of Food Products (Prevention of Prejudicial Activity) Bill, 2023", which was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the food ministry for further scrutiny.

The parliamentary watchdog was asked to submit its report before the House within five working days.

While placing the bill, the food minister said, the aim of the new bill is to curb illegal hoarding of food items and ensure food security.

According to the proposed law, the punishment for illegal hoarding of food goods is maximum lifetime imprisonment or 14-year rigorous imprisonment and pecuniary punishment.

In the new legislature, mainly offences related to the production, storage, transfer, transportation, supply, marketing and distribution of food grains like paddy, rice, wheat, flour and corn have been identified. Punishments have been prescribed for those offences as per the magnitude of the crimes.

The new law has been framed in the combination of two old laws-- the Food (Special Court) Act, 1956 and the Food Grains Supply (Prevention of Prejudicial Activity) Ordinance, 1979.

As per the bill, a person will face maximum two-year imprisonment or maximum of Tk 10 lakh as fine or both, if the person markets any foodstuff manufactured from an approved variety of food grain under a different or fictitious name without mentioning it as a by-product of such variety.

A person will face the same punishment in case of manufacturing or marketing food products by removing or altering any natural ingredient in whole or partially; or manufacturing or marketing artificial ingredients harmful to human health with foodstuffs.

According to the bill, if any person makes, prints, publishes, circulates or distributes any false information regarding the production, storage, transfer, transportation, supply, distribution and marketing of foodstuff, the person will face the maximum five-year imprisonment or highest Tk 10-lakh as fine or both.

The cabinet earlier on April 10 approved the draft of the new law.