The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The President promulgated the Anti-Terrorism Ordinance 2008 providing death penalty for offences like terror financing and staging murder to create panic and jeopardize country's sovereignty.

The Ordinance came into effect from yesterday through gazette notification.

Special Tribunal will be constituted to deal with such offences, which are non-bailable.

The Ordinance says anyone who gives or takes money, service or property to instigate terrorist act will be charged with committing terrorist offence.

If anyone resorts to murder, inflicting grievous injury, confinement, kidnapping or damaging property to create panic among the people or government and jeopardizes the country's security, sovereignty and integrity

by using explosives, arms and chemicals, one will commit terrorist offence.

"Such offender is liable for death penalty or transportation for life or fine or both," the tough new law says.

The Ordinance empowers Bangladesh Bank to freeze account of a suspected terror and give directions to banks concerned to take preventive measures against monetary transactions for financing terrorist acts.

On banned outfits, the Ordinance provides maximum punishment of seven years imprisonment with fines for a member or supporter of an outlawed organization.

According to the Ordinance, the government will be able to set up one or more Anti-Terrorist Special Tribunals to deal with the offences.

The timeframe for resolving a case in anti-terrorist offence has been fixed for six months after charge framing.