Govt Prioritizes State Interests, Balanced Land Use: Land Minister
Land Minister Md. Mizanur Rahman Minu emphasized that ensuring transparency in government land allocation and acquisition is the highest priority. Presiding over the 157th Central Land Allocation Committee meeting at the Secretariat on Thursday, he stressed safeguarding government interests and balanced land use. He firmly stated, ‘Transparency must be strictly maintained in land acquisitions to ensure it does not generate any public dissatisfaction.’ The session was also attended by State Minister Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin and Senior Secretary Mr. A. S. M. Saleh Ahmed.
During the high-level meeting, the minister directed authorities to remain highly vigilant regarding the protection of agricultural land and the natural environment. He reiterated that acquiring land for essential development initiatives must strictly follow due process without compromise. Furthermore, he noted that a delicate balance between rapid national development and sustainable land use is absolutely imperative. He urged officials to consider public welfare, ecological preservation, and the protection of agricultural resources for future generations with the utmost importance.
Aligning with these directives, the committee greenlit multiple crucial proposals for development projects across various districts, notably in Chattogram. For the Chattogram Development Authority’s initiative to alleviate city waterlogging through canal expansion, acquisitions of over four acres in several mouzas, including Panchlaish and Chandanpura, were approved. Additionally, substantial land acquisitions were authorized for the Chattogram South Road Division’s highway upgradation project, covering over twenty-one acres across Juldha, Badalpur, Shikalbaha, and Shahmirpur mouzas to facilitate vital infrastructure improvements.
The committee also approved land acquisitions for vital power and industrial sectors, including land in Netrokona Sadar for a 132 KV double-circuit power transmission line connecting Sunamganj. In Narayanganj’s Sonargaon, prior approval was granted for land for Najma Paper and Board Mills, while Meghna Economic Zone received final approval for over one acre. Furthermore, based on district-level recommendations, acquisitions exceeding 50 bighas were authorized, notably for the Madarganj-Koyra-Mansurnagar road development project in Sirajganj’s Kazipur upazila.
Major national connectivity and economic projects also secured final land acquisition approvals during the session. Under the Bangladesh Railway’s dual-gauge double-line construction project spanning from Joydebpur to Ishwardi, over twenty acres across twenty-one mouzas in Tangail’s Mirzapur upazila were cleared. The committee also finalized the acquisition of nearly fifty-eight acres for the comprehensive Baraiyarhat-Heako-Ramgarh Road Widening project. Simultaneously, over six acres were approved across six mouzas in Abhaynagar to establish the expansive Jashore Export Processing Zone.
In a move reflecting adaptability to changing realities, the committee authorized the repurposing of properties previously acquired for Bogura Cold Storage and Allied Industries. This specific land will now be utilized to establish a much-needed public welfare hospital under the 2017 Acquisition and Requisition Act. Relevant officials concluded that the sweeping approvals granted during this pivotal meeting will play a crucial role in significantly advancing the transparent acquisition processes required to seamlessly implement these diverse national development projects.
