The Sawmill (Licence) Rules, 2012, issued under section 41 of the Forest Act, 1927, establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for the licensing, establishment and operation of sawmills in Bangladesh. The Rules require any person wishing to establish or operate a sawmill to obtain a licence from the competent forest authority, prescribe the application, licensing and renewal procedures, and set the fees payable. They also create administrative mechanisms for reviewing licence applications and provide for the issuance, renewal, suspension and cancellation of licences. The Rules further aim to strengthen forest governance and prevent the illegal harvesting and trade of timber by imposing operational conditions on sawmills, including record-keeping requirements for the purchase, sale and processing of timber and other forest products, inspection powers for authorised officials, and penalties for non-compliance. The instrument also regulates the location and operation of sawmills, establishes appeal procedures, and repeals the previous Sawmill (Licence) Rules, 1998, while preserving the validity of licences and actions taken under the repealed regime.
Bangladesh · 2012-05-20