On Monday, the weekly regular cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was held in the parliament premises, where the amendment for the speedy trial Act was cleared. Under the existing law, offences under the Act could result in up to five years in prison. Briefing the media at the Secretariat, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said that the clause relating to the penalty will be amended. He said the amendment stipulates a maximum of seven year imprisonment with hard labour and minimum two-year term as well as financial penalties. The Speedy Trial Act was enacted in 2002 for two years when the BNP-Jamaat alliance government was in office.

Source: bd News24 June 05, 2017 09:22 UTC