The Bangladesh government has cleared the final draft of a new law against dowry proposing penalties for bringing false charges.
Monday’s regular Cabinet meeting gave its green light to the Dowry Prohibition Act 2018, which now awaits to be passed by the parliament.
Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told the media that a new provision proposed to five years in jail or Tk 50,000 in fines or both for pressing false charges.
He said the 1980 Dowry Prohibition Act has been amended thrice through ordinances in 1982, 1984 and 1986. “The new law is being formulated to update the all the ordinances.”
The law proposes a three-year jail term or Tk 50,000 fine or both for demanding dowry.
It also proposed to criminalise individuals giving or receiving dowry, which will cause a jail term between one and five years or Tk 50,000 fine or both.