The cabinet yesterday approved a draft law with a provision of maximum 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment or Tk 5 lakh fine or both for pornography-related offences. The draft of ‘Pornography Control Act, 2011’ comes in the backdrop of rise in production, preservation, carrying and marketing, export and import of pornographies. The weekly cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Secretariat also approved the draft of the Sonadia Deep Seaport Authority Act-2011, her Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told newsmen. The council of ministers also approved Bangladesh Atomic Energy Control Act-2011 and endorsed proposals to ratify ‘Saarc Convention on Cooperation on Environment’ and ‘The Charter of the Asian Institute of Technology’. Azad said the draft speech of the president to be delivered at the first session of Jatiya Sangsad this year was also approved at the meeting. The prime minister instructed officials concerned to make it a speech of 20 minutes. At the meeting, the premier directed the communications ministry to send Kaler Kantho senior reporter Nikhil Bhadra abroad for better treatment. Sources said the journalist would be given Tk 10 lakh from the government. Nikhil suffered critical injuries in a road accident in front of the Jatiya Press Club on December 28. His right leg was amputated.
