Animal Slaughter, Meat Quality Control Bill introduced

The Animal Slaughter and Meat Quality Control Bill 2011 was introduced in parliament on Monday seeking to ensure slaughtering of animals and processing of meat in hygienic atmosphere.

The bill provides for building healthy slaughterhouse and meat processing factory by putting an end to slaughtering animals and birds in unhygienic, dirty and putrid places.

Besides, poultry birds and other animals and birds have also been brought under the jurisdiction of the bill.

While introducing the bill in the house, fisheries and livestock minister Abdul Latif Biswas said although there was law for inspection of meat in all countries of the world, but there is no such law in the country. The bill also provides for inspection of meat.

The bill provides that if a person violates the law, he will be sentenced to one year imprisonment or minimum fine of Tk 5,000 or maximum fine of Tk 25,000 or with both.

If the same person violates the law second time, he will be sentenced to maximum two years imprisonment or minimum fine of Tk 10,000 and maximum fine of Tk 50,000 or with both.

The bill has been sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the fisheries and livestock ministry for further scrutiny and report back to the house within the next 15 days.

Source : New Age