Cabinet approves draft law suggesting 10yrs jail for leaking PSC question paper

The maximum punishment for involvement in leaking the question paper of any PSC examination will be 10 years’ jail or financial penalty or both, according to a draft law approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday.

The Cabinet approved in principle the draft of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission Act, 2021 in a meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The Prime Minister joined the meeting virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban, while other Cabinet members from the Bangladesh Secretariat, reports UNB.

“According to article 8 of the draft law, those who are involved in leaking the question paper of any examination to be held under the Public Service Commission (PSC) they might face the highest 10 years' jail, financial punishment or both. A tough stance has been taken against question paper leak,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam.

He said the draft law was placed in the meeting to replace the Bangladesh Public Service Commission Ordinance, 1977 in line with a judgment of the High Court over the laws of military regimes.

The maximum punishment for adopting unfair means in examination and engagement in answer sheet forgery would be two years’ jail or financial penalty or both, he said, adding that such crimes could also be punished by the mobile court.

The Cabinet also approved in principle the draft of the Zakat Fund Management Act, 2021 in order to motivate people to provide Zakat to the government fund, using the latest information technology, he said.

People can provide their Zakat to the government’s Zakat Fund through any scheduled bank, said the Cabinet Secretary, adding that the proposed law was brought modifying the Zakat Fund Ordinance, 1982.

Besides, the meeting approved in principle the draft of Chattogram Shahi Jame Mosque Act, 2021 for the maintenance of the property of the mosque.

“If anyone engages in irregularities over the property and incomes of the mosques would face the highest two years in jail or financial penalty or both,” said Khandker Anwarul Islam, adding that the mosque has very valuable lands of 2.43 acres in Chattogram.

The draft law will replace the Chittagong Shahi Masjid Ordinance, 1986, he said.

Besides, the Cabinet discussed the recent e-commerce scams and decided to bring all e-commerce companies under the registration and monitoring system.

Registration of e-commerce firms

The five-member committee, recently formed headed by an additional secretary of the commerce ministry, will place its report over e-commerce frauds within the next 20 days, said the Cabinet Secretary.

“Today, a decision was taken that all of those who are engaged in such business will have to be monitored by bringing them under the registration system,” he said.

The Cabinet also stressed the need for raising public awareness over any possible e-commerce fraud and abnormal offers of e-commerce companies, he said.

At the meeting, the Prime Minister unveiled the cover of a book titled “Bangabandhur Roktorin” (Bangabandhu’s Blood Debt), published with the initiative of the Local Government Division, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.