The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Council of Advisers of the caretaker government Sunday discussed elaborately the draft of a new law styled Anti-terrorism Ordinance 2007, meant for effectively dealing with acts of terrorism.

After the scrutiny, the council asked the Ministry concerned to come up with the draft incorporating "more specific and clearer definition of terrorism".

The council, examining the draft ordinance in a regular meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair, directed the Law Ministry to further review and research the draft through studying the definition of terrorism given by other countries and place the new ordinance again before the council.

Earlier, the previous government had prepared a draft bill on 'The Anti-terrorism Act 2006' and formed a committee for its vetting. But the past government's tenure was over during the working of the committee.

The council approved a proposal extending Open Sky system for one month more for the three international airports in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet in view of "positive response" following the introduction of the system.

Earlier, the government had given permission for introducing open sky on condition for three months from October 1 to December 31.

The meeting also discussed in detail a draft amending number 55 law in the Bangladesh Television Authority Act 2001.

It asked the Ministry concerned to further review and discuss with the related stakeholders for making BTV more autonomous and again place it before the council.

CA's press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim briefed newsmen about the outcome of the meeting.

The meeting approved in principle the draft of another new law titled 'The Plant Variety and Farmer Rights Protection Act 2007' providing for protection of patent rights on newly innovated plant varieties.

"In the context of globalization of trade, it is imperative to formulate an act covering innovation of new varieties of plant and protection against extinction of local popular varieties," it is observed in the objective of the plant-patent law.

The proposed law has a provision for encouraging and recognizing the contribution of any person, community, or organization to evolving any plant variety. And any breeder of certified new plant variety can have exclusive right to enjoy commercial use of the preserved variety.

Remedies also have been proposed if any variety used traditionally by farmers is pirated by any government or private breeder.

Provision of developing Gene Fund also has been laid down in the proposed new law.

The law proposes minimum three months and maximum 2 years' imprisonment, and one lakh to five-lakh-taka fines for "false naming or providing false information" regarding plant variety and country of breeder and innovation of variety.

The meeting also discussed a proposal for turning the existing training institute of Textile Industries Development Centre (TIDC) under BTMC into National Institute of Textile Training, Research and Design (NITTRAD) to strengthen the institute and make it an autonomous body.

Its objective is to elevate the textile and garment sector to international standards in conformity with globalization of trade, through rearing skilled and high-standard human resources.

Members of the council of Advisers attended the meeting at the CA's office. The Cabinet Secretary and Secretaries concerned were also present.