Efforts underway to recover border riverlands
Wed, Jan 14th, 2009 8:56 pm BdST
Dhaka, Jan 14 (bdnews24.com) – Bangladesh has initiated diplomatic efforts to recover land emerging from river movements near border areas, land minister Rezaul Karim Hira said on Wednesday.
"As a result of natural river erosion, about 30 thousand acres of land have surfaced on the other side of border-area rivers," said the minister.
"Before the land is recovered, borders have to be demarcated once more."
Joint efforts are underway with the foreign ministry in this regard, added Hira.
The government will also take steps to recover illegally occupied land, said Hira.
"If we have solid evidence that government land has been occupied by a real estate company then all-out efforts will be taken to recover it."
The newly appointed minister said priorities would be to tackle corruption in land deals, ensuring actual ownership and reforms of dated land laws.
"Our election manifesto talked about a Land Reform Commission to address all land related issues, and an initiative in this regard will be taken after talks with the prime minister," he said.
"This is a government elected by the people and we shall not tolerate any irregularities."
On unresolved complexities of vested property, the minister said the caretaker government's ordinance would be amended and presented at parliament for approval.
