Two separate bills, one relating to environment protection and the other for setting up environment court to deal with the violators of environment protection law, were passed at the Jatiya Sangsad yesterday.

Environment and Forest Minister Shahjahan Siraj piloted the bill for its passage in the House.

The bills are: The Bangladesh Environment Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2002 and the Environment Court Bill, 2002.

The Bangladesh Environment Protection Bill seeks to update the earlier law adopted in 1995 banning production, marketing and distribution of polythene shopping bags and stoppage of plying of defective vehicles emitting harmful gases.

The bill proposed a maximum punishment of ten years' imprisonment or fine of Taka 10 lakh or both for violating the law.

The Environment Court Bill, 2002 seeks to establish three environment courts, one each for Dhaka and Chittagong divisions and the third one for the rest of the country

for speedy trial of cases relating to environment protection law.

The bill also incorporated the provision for setting up a one-member appeal court in consultation with the Bangladesh Supreme Court. A judicial officer at the level of District Judge will be appointed for the Appellate Court.