The government has approved a proposal to put a ban on advertisement that promotes some baby foods as an alternative to breast milk.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Cabinet gave the final approval to the draft proposal on Monday.
Cabinet Secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told media after the meeting that the law will be named as ‘Breast-Milk Substitutes (Regulation of Marketing) Act, 2013’.
“As per this law these substitute baby foods can be produced or supplied, but cannot be advertised,” he said. “However, for this permission needs to be taken.”
According to the Cabinet Secretary, a ban on advertisement would discourage parents from seeking those alternatives.
When the law is passed, import of raw materials or accessories needed to manufacture or distribute such items will also be banned.
The new law also proposes that a jail term for violating the ban be increased to three years from the two. The fine amount too has been increased to Tk 500,000, up from Tk 5,000.
The law will be formulated abolishing the previous ‘The Breast-Milk Substitutes (Regulation of Marketing). Ordinance, 1984’. “Under the current law, actions can be taken only against individuals. Now an institution can also be sued.”
If any individual or institution breaks the law for the second time, the punishment will be double.
Mobile courts can prosecute the violators. – bdnews24.com
