The Cabinet has given its initial clearance to a draft law to regulate daycare centres in a bid to ensure safety of children in such facilities, reports BSS.
“The cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair in principle approved the draft of ‘Shishu Dibajatna Kendra Ain 2020 (Children Daycare Centre Act 2020)," it quoted Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam saying on Monday (Jan 27).
The law aimed at providing safety standards for children at daycare centres, he told the media at the Secretariat.
It proposes stern punitive measures, including fines up to Tk 1 million, for failure to provide appropriate security to minors in daycare centres, according to Cabinet Secretary Islam.
According to the draft, daycare centres can be established by the government itself or by entities with commercial purpose with their own funds.
Islam said such facilities could as well be established with business houses Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to be availed by government offices, statuary and autonomous bodies or non-government entities and individuals, says the BSS report.
The proposed law does not force any organization to set up the daycare centres but suggested several punitive measures for failure to maintain the guidelines in establishing and operating the facilities.
It proposes registration of daycare centres as mandatory and stipulates a fine of Tk 50,000 and subsequently Tk 5,000 for each day until obtaining registration.
A six-month jail term and fines up Tk 100,000 have been proposed, if any daycare centre conceals information regarding contagious diseases.
Responding to a query, the Cabinet secretary said, after the passage of the law, regulations would be formulated detailing service standards of daycare centres to address matters like nutrition, health, security and safety, medical care, entertainment, education and environment management.
It also proposed setting up of breast feeding corner in daycare centers and necessary measures for children with special needs.