Experts at a roundtable have called on the government to enact a farmer-friendly law to protect the country's croplands from grabbing and unplanned industrialisation.
An 'agricultural land protection act' should be formulated on the basis of recommendations from the rights group and NGOs working on the issue of farmers' rights, they said at a roundtable on Wednesday.
The Association for Land Reforms and Development (ALRD) organised the event at the National Press Club in the city.
The ALRD also placed some recommendations for the government to consider while framing the land protection act.
ALRD Chairperson Khushi Kabir presided over the roundtable while its Executive Director Shamsul Huda presented the keynote paper.
In the absence of such a law, arable lands are being grabbed by the influential people in the name of industrialisation and development, Shamsul Huda said in his presentation.
So many initiatives have been taken to enact a land protection law since 2001, but to no avail, he said.
Journalist Abu Sayeed Khan of Daily Samakal said the authorities should offer arable lands to marginal farmers like the way the government is offering special economic zones for large businesses.
Economist MM Akash said that a law is urgently needed to save croplands and farmers as well as protect lands from the land grabbers.
Justice Md Nijamul Haque called upon the government to take stern action against those who are destroying croplands.
Other speakers called on the rights bodies and farmers to raise voice for such a law.
Besides, a city development and control act should be enacted, they observed.
They also said multinational companies and global organisations like World Bank and IMF are not working, in true sense, to save croplands. Rather, they are taking away farmers' land.
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