1. (1) This Act may be called the ¹[* * *] Vagrancy Act, 1943. (2) It extends to the whole of Bangladesh. (3) It shall come into force in such areas on such dates as the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, direct.

2. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-(1) “Board” means the Vagrancy Advisory Board established under sub-section (i) of section 3; ²[* * *] (3) “child” means a person under the age of fourteen years; (4) “Controller” means the Controller of Vagrancy appointed under sub-section (1) of section 4; ³[* * *] (6) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;(7) “receiving centre” means a house or institution for the reception and temporary detention of vagrants, provided by the Government or certified as such under sub-section (1) of section 12;(8) “Special Magistrate” means a Magistrate empowered to act as such under section 5;(9) “vagrant” means a person found asking for alms in any public place, or wandering about or remaining in any public place in such condition or manner as makes it likely that such person exists by asking for alms but does not include a person collecting money or asking for food or gifts for a prescribed purpose;(10) “vagrants' home” means an institution provided by the Government under sub-section (1) of section 13 for the permanent detention of vagrants.

3. (1) The Government as soon as possible after the commencement of this Act shall establish a Board to be called the Vagrancy Advisory Board. (2) The Board shall be constituted in the manner prescribed, subject to the condition that the number of the members of the Board shall not be less than ten. (3) The function of the Board shall be to advise the Government on all matters relating to the control of vagrancy and in particular on the administration of this Act and for the aforementioned purposes any member of the Board may enter and inspect at any time any receiving centre or vagrants' home. (4) The Board may, with the previous approval of the Government, make regulations to provide for,- (a) the times and places at which its meetings shall be held; (b) the issue of notices concerning such meetings; and (c) the conduct of business thereat.

4. (1) For carrying out the purposes of this Act the Government may appoint a person to be Controller of Vagrancy together with such other persons to assist him as it thinks fit. (2) Persons appointed under sub-section (1) shall exercise such powers as may be conferred and perform such functions as may be required by or under this Act.

5. For the purposes of Chapter II of this Act the Government may empower any Magistrate of the first class to act as a Special Magistrate.