Bill for icddr,b placed in parliament

A bill titled "The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Act, 2022" was placed in parliament today in order to repeal the military regime ordinance over the icddr,b in line with a verdict of the higher court.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque placed the bill which was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on health ministry for scrutiny.

The Committee was asked to submit its report within one month.

As per the bill, icddr,b shall be an autonomous, international, philanthropic, and non-profit for research, education and training as well as clinical service.

The headquarters of icddr,b shall be in Dhaka. Icddr,b may establish its branches any place in the country subject to the approval of the respective governments.

The bill said that there will be a board consisting of 12-17 members. Of them four members will be nominated by the government, a member nominated by the World Health Organisation, a member to be nominated by a United Nations agency, 5-10 members nominated by the board of directors and executive director of icddr,b.

At any given time, no country shall have more than two members except for Bangladesh.

All members will be appointed for three years and it can be extended for one time. No member can be appointed for more than six years.

Icddr,b shall be administered by a director who shall be selected and appointed by the board for a term of three years which may be renewable for another term.

It shall have its own fund which shall consist of grants made by the government, grants, and contributions from other governments and their agencies, international organisations and private organisations, gifts and endowments, sale proceeds and royalties of publications, income from research and contractual undertakings, and other sources.

All funds of icddr,b shall be kept in any scheduled bank or banks in Bangladesh as approved by the board.

Icddr,b shall be exempted from the labour laws in force in the country. It shall be governed by its own by-laws as may be prescribed.

It shall not be liable to pay any tax, rate, or duty other than those paid by any other person in respect of any movable or immovable property which the icddr,b purchases or otherwise acquires from such person and other than those payable in respect of public utilities like water, gas, electricity, telephone, and municipal rates.

All non-Bangladeshi experts, technicians, and research scholars employed by the centre and working in Bangladesh for the furtherance of the objectives of icddr,b shall be exempt from paying income tax.