Dhaka: Land Ministry's Senior Secretary A S M Saleh Ahmed today stated that the majority of land-related complications in Bangladesh are primarily due to a lack of public knowledge and awareness. He emphasized that nearly 80 percent of all legal cases in the country are linked to land disputes.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the senior secretary made these remarks during a learning session titled "Orientation on Various Land Laws and the Process of Responding to Writ Petitions" held at the Ministry of Land's conference room. He explained that these legal disputes are connected to issues of land ownership, possession, transfer, and other related conflicts, which are typically addressed in civil or criminal courts.
Ahmed highlighted that through these legal proceedings, rightful land ownership is established, illegal occupation is challenged, and land-related rights are recognized. He underscored the importance for everyone working under the Ministry of Land to have a comprehensive understanding of land laws, as the ministry is responsible for safeguarding property rights, preventing fraud and illegal occupation, resolving disputes, and ensuring access to compensation and rehabilitation in relevant cases.
He further mentioned that service delivery in these areas falls under the ministry's purview, adding that "Knowledge of land law also protects landowners from unlawful eviction and helps them understand the proper legal processes regarding their property."
The Senior Secretary noted that due to the increasing value of land, rapid population growth, unplanned urbanization, rising demand for housing, industrial expansion, infrastructure development, and natural causes, the nature and usage patterns of land across the country are constantly evolving. The degradation of vast areas of agricultural land, forests, hills, and wetlands is leading to a decline in arable land for food production and causing environmental consequences.
To address these challenges, Ahmed mentioned that a number of land laws have been enacted to ensure proper land use, prevent land-related crimes, halt illegal occupation and fraud, control unlawful land reclassification, and secure legal ownership. He highlighted key legislations such as the Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act, 2023, the Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Act, 2017, the Land Reform Act, the Registration Act, 1908 (amended in 2023), and the draft Land Zoning and Protection Act, 2024.
The session was attended by the ministry's additional secretaries Md. Delowar Hossain, Md. Shariful Islam, Saima Yunus, Md. Abdur Rouf, and Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, among others.