The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of ‘The Dowry Prohibition Bill, 2018’ incorporating a new provision of punishment for filing any false case.

The approval came at the cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister’s Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, reports the UNB.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed reporters at the Secretariat after the meeting.

As per the new provision (Section-5) of the proposed draft law, the punishment for filing any false case will be maximum five years’ imprison or maximum Tk 50,000 as fine or both, said the Cabinet Secretary.

He said another provision has been changed only to specify the amount of monetary punishment for demanding or giving dowry in the proposed law as no specific financial punishment is mentioned in the existing law.

According to the provision, he said, if any person demanding or giving dowry will have to face maximum five years’ imprisonment, which will not be less than one year’s jail term or maximum Tk 50,000 as fine or both.

Shafiul Alam said the draft law has been prepared rearranging the original law of Dowry Prohibition Act, 1980 and its subsequent amendments made through promulgation of ordinances.

The Cabinet also approved the draft of an Agreement on Coastal Shipping to be signed by the member countries of Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).

He said the Bimstec member countries agreed to sign the deal as it will make sea connectivity easier.

Besides, the cabinet was informed that Bangladesh become member of three important bodies of UN Economic and Social Commission-ECOSOC.

Shafiul Alam said the Women and Children Affair Ministry won membership of the Commission of the Status of Women-CSW for the 2019-2021 term as well as election for membership of the governing Council of Unicef and UN Women for the term of 2019 to 2021.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Cabinet greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for receiving the prestigious Global Women Leadership Award at a ceremony in Sydney, Australia on April 27 last.

Global Summit of Women, a US-based NGO, honoured the Prime Minister with the award, a lifetime honour, for her outstanding leadership in advancing women education and women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh, Asia and Asia-pacific region.

The Cabinet also adopted a condolence motion at the death of Ekushey Padak recipient, poet, journalist and translator Belal Chowdhury.