JS body okays draft law to protect whistleblowers
The parliamentary standing committee recommends change in Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order 1972
A parliamentary body yesterday recommended that the House enact a law to protect whistleblowers and encourage them to disclose information.
The parliamentary standing committee on law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry placed in parliament a scrutiny report of a bill and made the recommendation.
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed on September 23 last year submitted the bill titled "Public interest-related information disclosure (protection) act".
Suranjit Sengupta, chief of the parliamentary body, in a brief statement tagged with the committee's report said, "If the bill is passed, a social movement against corruption will be built and all will come forward without fear to disclose information".
The bill encourages a whistleblower to give the authorities concerned information about activities against public health, security and environment, and criminal activities including embezzlement of public money and properties, misuse of power and irregularities in any organisation.
The proposed legislation says the authorities may reward or honour a whistleblower if his information is proved correct in the court.
It also says no criminal or civil or departmental proceedings can be initiated against a person for disclosing public-interest related information to the authorities, and his or her identity will not be disclosed without his or her consent.
The parliamentary standing committee yesterday also recommended that the House pass another bill seeking amendment to Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order 1972.
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