Dhaka: Food and Land Adviser Ali Imam Majumder today emphasized the critical issue of land scarcity in Bangladesh, asserting that it poses the primary challenge for development across sectors. Speaking at a view-exchange workshop, Majumder highlighted the necessity of land for various developmental activities, from food production to housing.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the workshop was organized by the Ministry of Land and the World Bank, focusing on enhancing institutional capacity in land acquisition and improving management systems for acquisition activities in Bangladesh. Majumder pointed out that despite the scarcity, land is sometimes acquired unnecessarily and repurposed, complicating the development landscape further.
He explained that delays in project implementation are often associated with the land acquisition process, which can be a mentally taxing experience for those whose ancestral properties are taken. Majumder also raised concerns about land wastage, citing instances where large tracts of land remain unused or are acquired for purposes such as aesthetic enhancement, as in the case of a guest house project.
The event saw participation from Gail H. Martin, Operations Manager of the World Bank for Bhutan and Bangladesh. Additionally, Md. Emdadul Haque Chowdhury, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Land, delivered the welcome address. Dr. Hafiza Khatun from the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) presented the survey findings related to the workshop's theme. The session was chaired by A S M Saleh Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Land.