The Bangladesh National Museum Bill, 2021 passed in the Jatiya Sangsad on Wednesday aiming to make the country's museums more dynamic and vibrant.
State minister for cultural affairs KM Khalid moved the bill in the House which was unanimously passed by voice votes with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
The Bangladesh National Museum Bill, 2021 will replace the1983 ordinance in this regard.
The 'Bangladesh National Museum Bill-2021' has been placed in the Jatiya Sangsad with the provision of a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to Tk 10 lakh for destroying or damaging the museum artifacts. This would be applicable for other museums alongside the National Museum.
The bill states that anyone who destroys or damages the museum's immovable specimens will be sentenced to 10 years in prison or a fine of Tk 10 lakh or both.
Theft, trafficking, destruction, vandalism, alteration, or damage to movable property will result in a maximum of five years imprisonment and a maximum fine of Tk five lakh. In addition, anyone carving or writing on museum artifacts will face a maximum of one year in jail and a fine of Tk 10,000.
The existing law did not provide for the position of curator of museums. The post of the assistant curator has also been proposed in the new draft. A board of directors has been proposed to be chaired by the Minister of Culture or State Minister for the management of the museum. The bill stipulates that the director-general of the museum will be appointed by the government.
The draft law provides for a 'virtual museum'. Besides, provision has been made to hold exhibitions outside the country and outside Dhaka.
The bill further states that with the approval of the government, branch museums, thematic museums, memorial museums, museums, research centers, archives can be set up and controlled anywhere except departmental and district cities.