Last Change:
08/18/2025
The Communicable Diseases (Prevention, Control and Elimination) Act, 2018
Year: 2018
Type: Domestic law
Rights Category: Health
Description
The Act came into force in 2018 with immediate effect. Section 4 provides a long list of the diseases that will be considered as communicable diseases including- Malaria, Black fever, Dengue, Influenza , Avian flu, Nipah;, Anthrax;, MERS-CoV; Rabies; Japanese encephalitis; Diarrhea; Tuberculosis, Reparatory tract infection, HIV; Viral Hepatitis; Diseases preventable by vaccination; Typhoid; Food poisoning; Meningitis; Ebola; Zika; Chikungunya; and any of emerging and reemerging diseases declared by the Government by means of notification in the government gazette.
Section 5 describes in detail the duties and functions of the "Directorate" including in prevention, control, and eradication of communicable diseases and taking concerted initiatives including the development of an action plan with a view to providing protection to the people from its national and international spreading;
Certain acts are considered as punishable offenses under this Act. They include-
- Spreading communicable diseases and hiding information (section 24)
- Hindering from performing duty and noncompliance with the order of the Directorate General (section 25)
- For providing false or wrong information on purpose (section 26)
Offenses committed under this Act shall be non-cognizable, available, and compoundable (section 28).
The Act does not limit itself for the application to only specific groups. Hence, it will apply to refugees as well.
Selected provisions
(1) If the empowered employee thinks fit that it is not possible to disinfect any establishment containing germs, he shall inform it to the Civil Surgeon concerned.
(2) Upon being informed under Sub-section (1), the Civil Surgeon shall, if need be, direct the owner of the said establishment to destroy it.
(3) If any directive is provided under Sub-section (2), the Civil Surgeon shall inform it to the Director General without delay.
If the empowered employee has such reasonable cause to believe that any vehicle has been infected by communicable germs or there is presence of communicable germs in it, in that case he may direct the owner or proprietor of the said vehicle to disinfect it in such procedure as determined by Rules.
(1) If any vehicle, useful goods or animal is infected or reasonably deemed to have been infected by communicable germs, the empowered employee may seize it.
(2) The empowered employ shall take necessary initiative to disinfect the vehicle, useful goods or animal seized under Sub-section (1).
(3) If it is not possible to disinfect the vehicle, useful goods or animal seized under Sub-section (1), it shall be informed to the Civil Surgeon and the Civil Surgeon may, upon consultation with the Director General regarding the matter, direct the empowered employee to destroy it.
(1) If any person has died of or is suspected to have died of any communicable disease, the burial or funeral of the corpse of the said person shall be performed in accordance with the directives of the empowered employee.
(2) To fulfill the objectives of this Section, other necessary matters shall be determined by Rules.
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1950 (Act No. XXXIX of 2950) or import and export policy or order issued by the Government, time to time, thereunder, no person can import or export food, consumer goods or daily useful goods, if-
(2) The said object contains and human residues, human tissue or particle, germs of any communicable disease, or
(3) Any harmful creature or object or any part or constituent in accordance with the Rules made under this Act.
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1950, Bangladesh Livestock and Livestock Products Quarantine Act, 2005 (Act No. 6 of 2005), and Plant Quarantine Act, 2011 (Act No. 5 of 2011), no person can import or export flower, plant and animals, if-
(a) The said object contains the germs of any communicable disease, or
(b) Any harmful creature or object or any part or constituent in accordance with the Rules made under this Act.
To fulfill the objectives of this Act, the Government may, in accordance with such procedure as determined by Rules, take the refund of government money spent on disinfecting any vehicle, place or establishment.
(1) If any person causes, or assists in, the spread of the germs of any communicable disease, or knowingly hides the fact of the risk of infection to some other person when he comes in contact with the infected person or establishment, in that case such an act of the said person shall be an offense.
(2)Whoever commits any offense under Sub-section (1) shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 (six) months, or with fine of an amount not exceeding 1 (one) lac taka, or with both.
(1) If any person-
(a) Hinders the Director General, the Civil Surgeon or the empowered employee from performing any duty assigned to him, and
(b) Denies to comply with the orders given by the Director General, the Civil Surgeon or the empowered employee for prevention, control and eradication of a communicable disease,
in that case such an act of the said person shall be an offense.
(2) Whoever commits any offense under Sub-section (1) shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 (three) months, or with fine of an amount not exceeding 50 (fifty) thousand taka, or with both.
(1) If any person, despite knowing the correct information with regard to a communicable disease, provides any wrong information on purpose, such an act of the said person shall be an offense.
(2) Whoever commits any offense under Sub-section (1) shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 (two) months, or with fine of an amount not exceeding 25 (twenty five) thousand taka, or with both.