Harassment still there while receiving land-related services

People are yet to get rid of harassment fully while receiving land-related services despite the government's ongoing land digitisation and reform initiatives, said Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury.
He said initiatives are being taken to provide land services to citizens by appointing district-based agents, in order to strengthen the country's land digitisation efforts and curb the existing digital divide, he said.
To this end, private agency policies are also being formulated, added Mr Chowdhury.
The minister came up with the remarks at a dialogue organised by the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh on "Contemporary Initiatives in Land Management and Citizens' Rights" at the BRAC Centre Inn in the capital on Thursday.
Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, convener of the Platform and distinguished fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), chaired the dialogue.
Md Mustafizur Rahman, secretary to the Ministry of Land, delivered his speech as the lead speaker.
Shaheen Anam, Core Group Member of the Citizen's Platform and Executive Director of the Manusher Jonno Foundation, delivered introductory remarks.
Rafiq Ahmed Serajee, Manager (Programme), Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), Mohammad Samsozzaman, Deputy Secretary and National Portal Implementation Specialist, Aspire to Innovate (a21) Programme, and Supreme Court lawyer Mahfuz Bin Yousuf also spoke at the dialogue.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Core Group Member, Citizen's Platform and also Executive Director, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), spoke at the event.
Speaking as the chief guest at the event, Land Minister Saifuzzaman said there is a direction from the prime minister that the agricultural land should not be used for public infrastructural development and his ministry is working to implement this goal.
The land ministry has already been able to build its own manpower and capacity for the current digitisation process as it can run it independently without the direct technical support from Aspire to Innovate (a21) Programme, added the minister.
Land Secretary Mustafizur Rahman said the government is not enacting any law that triggers conflict between judiciary and administration.
The government's Land Zoning Project has been making significant strides in digitising and modernising the country's land administration system, he mentioned.
The project aims to digitise 1,38,000 Mouza Maps, which will be intersected with satellite images to create a plot-based land-type database, said Mr Rahman.
The government's plan to introduce Landpaedia is expected to revolutionise the way land information is accessed and managed, providing quick and easy access to a wealth of data for policymakers, researchers and citizens, he said.
From April 14, 2023 onwards, tax payments from the Ministry of Finance will be done online, allowing taxpayers to pay their taxes from anywhere, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Shaheen Anam urged the country's women to come forward as establishing land rights for them has been a major obstacle.
The digitisation can play a significant role in alleviating poverty in Bangladesh, she observed.
Rafiq Ahamed Serajee said although land management has been digitised, many beneficiaries still do not have access to it, especially those who do not have access to computers in particular areas.
He highlighted the importance of 'The Agricultural Land Security Act' since, in many cases, industrialisation is encroaching on agricultural land.
Mohammad Samsozzaman emphasised the need for implementing robust land management by keeping both SDG implementation and future planning in mind.
Advocate Mahfuz Bin Yousuf said land-related litigation has remained unresolved for years.
This issue should be kept in mind during implementation of digitisation initiative, he added.
Praising the government's current digitisation efforts, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the process should be hassle-free and people-friendly.
He stressed the need for ensuring integrity in this process.
Dr Debapriya highlighted the fact that the issue of land has become increasingly important in recent times, as afforestation initiatives and river erosion have brought attention to the impact of land use on the environment.
Additionally, land rights have intertwined with the rights of women and indigenous people, he said, adding that given the multidimensional nature of this issue, it is not solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Land to address it.
During the open floor discussion, Mohammad Azaz, Chairman, River and Delta Research Centre (RDRC), expressed his apprehension about the future of those who become landless as a result of river erosion.
Citing the example of the indigenous people that are being deprived of their rights, Noresh Chandra Uraon, an indigenous community representative, mentioned that their land is being encroached upon even though they are named in Khatian.
A representative from Satkhira said that it is the need of the hour to make a list of the landless people.

[email protected]