Penalty set for illegal human organ transplantation

Dhaka, Jan 9 – The Jatiya Sangsad on Tuesday passed the “Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Bill, 2018” aimed at providing with better health services riding on the improvement in technology and medical science in the country.Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim moved the bill in the House for passing it to improve the country’s medical facilities and services with the unfolding of science and using latest technology.
Placing the bill, he said the bill has a provision of three years of rigorous imprisonment or Taka 10 lakh fine or both for violation of the law, aiming to check the illegal trade of human organs.
According to the bill, no hospital can conduct human organ transplantation in the country without government’s approval while the public hospitals having specialised units in this regard can do the job without taking prior approval.
Private hospitals have to apply to the authorities concerned to do the job within 60 days of enactment of the law.
As per the proposed law, there will be a medical board in every hospital for deciding the transplantation matter and a National Cadaveric Committee to oversee the human organs transplantation in the country.
According to the proposed law, any organ transplantable to the human body, including kidney, liver, bone, eye, heart, lung and tissue, could be transplanted after their collection from human bodies having heartbeats or in active with life support for transplantation purpose.
Any doctor convicted under the law will lose his or her registration with Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council.
As per the new proposed law, a National Cadaveric Committee will be constituted with Vice Chancellor of the BSMMU as its Chairman to oversee the human organ transplantation, visit transplantation activities as well as to advise the government regarding human organ transplantation.
Later the bill was passed by voice votes with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. – Agency