'National Museum Bill-2021' Proposes Tougher Punishment for Damaging Artifacts

The 'Bangladesh National Museum Bill-2021' has been raised 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.

When Minister of State for Culture KM Khalid introduced the bill on Thursday (November 18), it was sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Culture for scrutiny and report to Parliament within 30 days.

The bill was introduced to re-enact the ordinance of 1983.

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.