The Copyright Bill 2023 was passed in the parliament on Monday aiming to protect the rights of original works in publications, film, digital works, drama, folklore, the arts and audio recordings.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs K M Khalid moved the bill which was passed unanimously by voice votes in the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
Articles and other works by a person who is under permanent or contractual employment or under assignment in newspapers or magazines will not be under the purview of this law, the Bill said.
Public speeches will also be out of the purview of this law. The new law will replace the previous 'copyright act-2000'.
Before endorsing the draft law, the state minister said, "The law is being enacted to ensure the intellectual right, saying that the government has taken the initiative to digitalise all the books of the central public library."
The law proposes to strengthen the Copyright Office, which will be authorized to resolve disputes related to copyrights.
"Intellectual piracy is now rampant in the country and the government must have to protect the legal authority of the intellectual works", said the opposition lawmakers.
Jatiya Party lawmakers Fakhrul Imam of Mymensingh-8, Shamim Haider Patwary of Gaibandha-1, Pir Fazlur Rahman of Sunamganj-4, Rawshan Ara Mannan of Women seat-47, Gano forum lawmaker Mokabbir Khan of Sylhet-1 and Rezaul Karim Bablu of Bogura-7, among others, discussed on the proposed law.
