DHAKA: The Cabinet Monday approved the draft Border Guard Bangladesh Act 2010 with death sentence as maximum penalty for a mutineer in the frontier force reborn under the new law.

The approval came from a regular meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told a press briefing.

“If the law is passed (by parliament), Bangladesh Rifles will be renamed Border Guard Bangladesh,” he said.

As per the new law, penalties for 30 modes of crime have been set for the border guards, including deputed army officials who serve here on deputation. It includes a provision for death penalty for mutiny.

Besides, the government and the BDR chief both are vested with the authority to exonerate an offender from any kind of punishment.

“Subversive acts” like mutiny, insubordination, act of arson, looting and corruption have been defined as the gravest crimes in the law.

Under the proposed law, the trial would take place in Special Border Guard Court, Special Military Court and Summary Guard Court in accordance with the types of crimes.

The press secretary also apprised that the ruling Awami League-led grand alliance government, after taking office, has taken a total of 498 decisions in 78 cabinet meetings till the end of June this year.

Of those, 411 decisions were implemented while the remaining 87 were under process. “The rate of implementation is 87 percent, while the previous BNP government had implemented only 64 percent of its decisions,” said the press secretary.

He further said the cabinet approved 120 law-related proposals and 100 of those were passed in parliament. Besides, 15 bills are waiting for final approval.

The cabinet meeting also approved the International Mother Language Institute Bill 2010 and the Family Violence (Protection and Prevention) Bill 2010.

BDST: 08:20 HRS, JULY 12, 2010