DHAKA: State Minister for Land Mustafizur Rahman Tuesday stressed the need for formulating an up-to-date Land Acquisition and Resettlement Policy to ensure realistic compensation in rehabilitating land-acquisition victims.  

“The existing Land Acquisition Ordinance has weaknesses in determining land value, resettlement and compensation,” said the minister while inaugurating a conference at a city hotel.

BRAC University organised the international conference titled ‘Land acquisition and rehabilitation: Social justice and equal distribution’ with Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, adviser of the last caretaker government, in the chair.

Mustafizur Rahman said, “As the government lacks socially and publicly approved land acquisition policy, owners, most often than not, are deprived of satisfactory compensation.”

Director of BRAC Development Institute Prof Syed M Hashem presented the keynote.

Dr. Hossain Zillur, who has findings on mismanagement of the land settlement and administration, also recommended formulation of a forward-looking land-acquisition policy.

“The government should be aware about the harassment of owners until the policy of land acquisition is formulated,’’ he said.

BST 1456 HRS, June 29, 2010
AKR/SF/ARF/SMS