The "Production, Storage, Transfer, Transportation, Supply, Distribution and Marketing of Food Products (Prevention of Prejudicial Activity) Bill, 2023" with a provision of maximum life imprisonment for illegal hoarding of foodstuff was passed in Parliament yesterday.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder moved the bill and it was passed by voice vote.

The aim of the new bill is to curb illegal hoarding of food items and ensure food security.

In the proposed law, the punishment for illegal hoarding of food is maximum lifetime imprisonment or 14-year rigorous imprisonment and monetary punishment.

In the bill, offences related mainly 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 Foodgrains Supply (Prevention of Prejudicial Activity) Ordinance, 1979.

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

A person will face the same punishment in the 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 the highest Tk 10-lakh as fine or both.