Dhaka: Land Adviser Ali Imam Majumdar today emphasized the need for returning acquired land that is not being utilized properly to the District Administrator. He made this statement during the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on ‘Utilization and Restoration of Acquired, Unused and Occupied Land’, which he chaired at the conference room of the Land Ministry.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Land Adviser underscored the necessity of restoring acquired, unused, and occupied lands, highlighting that the nation’s land resources are diminishing over time, necessitating their proper utilization. He pointed out that even lands previously occupied by institutions such as post offices, telephone exchanges, and telegraph offices in various districts, upazilas, and villages could be reclaimed for government use.
The Land Adviser further noted that recovering such lands would benefit the state by contributing to economic growth, creating employment opportunities, ensuring food security, increasing land revenue, and facilitating planned urbanization.
The meeting also included Adviser to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Adilur Rahman Khan, Adviser to both the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and Ministry of Railways Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, along with other senior officials. Adviser Faozul Kabir Khan stressed the importance of obtaining information on acquired unused and encroached lands from district administrators. He suggested that government institutions should purchase the necessary lands at actual prices rather than nominal ones, even recommending amendments to existing laws and policy formulation if required.
Additionally, the meeting resolved to include Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in the committee. Notable attendees included Land Ministry’s Senior Secretary ASM Saleh Ahmed, Road Transport and Highways Division’s Senior Secretary Md Ehsanul Haque, Bridges Division Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rouf, Agriculture Ministry Secretary Dr. Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, Water Resources Ministry Secretary Nazmul Ahsan, and the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner.