Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed on Thursday the need for planned land use and land management, as local and foreign entrepreneurs are making big investments in the country these days, report agencies.
Hasina said the country's land needed to be used and its management system should be maintained in a planned way considering Bangladesh's geographical area and the big population.
Sheikh Hasina said foreign entrepreneurs were keen to invest in Bangladesh, but they wanted land for setting up industries. "We have to take plan for allocation of barren land to set up industries in the northern region," she said.
The Prime Minister asked the officials to strictly monitor the matter so that agriculture and forest lands are not used for housing and industrial purposes. "Agriculture land and industrial land must be earmarked separately," she said.
She said the land of country's southern parts could be used for IRRI cropping which now is concentrated only in northern parts. "Invention of saline tolerant variety of rice has created the opportunity for us to expand its harvesting in southern areas," she said.
"For any kind of development initiative and making investment, the matter of land comes first. We'll have to use land in a planned way to ensure judicious management of land," she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing the high officials of the Ministry of Land and its associate bodies during her visit to the ministry at the Secretariat.
Prime Minister has termed real estate companies putting up 'sign boards on water bodies' 'land grabbers' and instructed the land ministry to go'tough' on them.
"Many are occupying land by putting up sign boards on water bodies. There are some land grabbers who procure an acre of land and grab another acre.
"They go after those who protest," Hasina said speaking at the meeting with the ministry officials.
Without giving any names, she said some companies were abusing power as they own television channels and newspapers.
The Prime Minister instructed officials to get 'tough' on these companies. "They are so powerful; they own media, newspapers. They label those as thieves who protest.
"What's more unfortunate is that we have approved these (tv stations)," added Hasina.
Hasina also expressed hope that India would take quick steps to ratify the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh.
"I hope that India would ratify the agreement to resolve a long standing problem on land boundary issue," she said.
The border line between the two countries has been drawn and mapping of the zones have already been completed, she said. "Now the process awaits Indian parliament's approval to resolve the problem forever," she added.
Hasina also asked the Ministry of Land to remain careful so that the ongoing work on a modern land survey system is done properly through digitisation of land records and survey management. "We're stepping towards the modern, flawless, sustainable and people's welfare-oriented land management system, and we'll have to implement it," she said.
