Staff Correspondent

Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda has directed land officers to identify areas for increasing revenue collection in the land sector.

Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda said this while addressing a workshop on 'Implementation of Corruption-free Smart Land Management' organized by the Land Reform Board at the conference room of the Rangpur Divisional Commissioner's office in Rangpur on Monday.

Chairman of the Land Reform Board Md. Abdus Sabur Mondal was present as the keynote speaker.

Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Md Zakir Hossain presided over the workshop, with Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Land, Ziauddin Ahmed, as a special guest. Additional Divisional Commissioner (Revenue) Md Abu Zafar and Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Mohammad Mobassher Hasan were present as guests of honour.

The land minister also emphasized that the e-mutation fee should vary according to land type, such as fallow or uncultivable land, fertile agricultural land, residential, luxurious, industrial, or commercial areas of the city. He also directed officials to examine the legal aspects of land usage and value-based e-mutation fee. He noted that revenue collection in the land sector has significantly increased due to the digitization of the land development tax and mutation system.

The land minister instructed officials to identify khas land, canal-beels, and water mahals across the country and upload their complete information to the land data bank. He stressed the importance of taking measures to recover illegally occupied Khas land and to re-excavate filled canals.

Additionally, the land minister urged citizens to engage in development communication and publicity activities at the local level to raise awareness about land issues. He emphasized that the philosophy of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, should not only be mentioned verbally or shared on social media but should be demonstrated through actions, with his philosophy kept in the heart.

Officials from the Ministry of Land, Land Reform Board, ADC (Revenue), UNO, AC Land, ULAO, ULDAO, from Rangpur and Gaibandha Collectorates (District Administration) participated in the workshop. Senior officials of the Ministry of Land and Land Reform Board, along with land management experts, conducted sessions as resource persons. It is noteworthy that Rangpur and Gaibandha districts are part of the 180-day special program initiated by the Ministry of Land.

Land Minister visits Land Reform Office in Rangpur

Later, he visited the office of the Rangpur Deputy Land Reform Commissioner at the Rangpur Divisional Commissioner's Office Complex. Chairman of the Land Reform Board Md Abdus Sabur Mondal, Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Md Zakir Hossain, and Deputy Land Reform Commissioner Md Rezaul Kabir were present on the occasion, among others.

Deputy Land Reform Commissioner of Rangpur Abu Jafar Rashed briefed the Land Minister on the progress of the activities of the Deputy Land Reform Office. At this time, the land minister directed the concerned authorities to take firm steps to ensure the success of the 180-day program in Rangpur and Gaibandha districts. Officials from the Ministry of Land and Land Reform Board were also present.

180-day special programme tsken

It is to be noted that the Ministry of Land has taken a 180-day special programme under the direction of Land Minister Narayan Chandra Chanda to accelerate the implementation of the government's zero tolerance against corruption and the implementation of the government's election manifesto smart land service. Under this program, the concerned land offices have been brought under close supervision and monitoring to ensure pro-people land services.

The effectiveness of the 180-day special program, on the activities of the selected land office, will be monitored through close supervision. Then a sustainable model will be set up and this program will be implemented throughout Bangladesh by expanding it. The 16 districts, 32 upazilas and 64 union/circle land offices that have been initially selected for the 180-day program.

Of these, the selected land office in Rangpur division are : Rangpur District's Rangpur Metropolitan Circle, Mithapukur and Pirganj Upazila Land Office; and Shalban Municipal Land Office, Uttam, Shathibari, Jaigirhat, Pirganj, and Chatra Union Land Office and in Gabandha Sadar, Gobindaganj and Fulchhari Upazila Land Office; and Kamarjani, Dariapur, Khansingpur, Katabari, Gobindaganj, Erendabari, and Baguria Union Land Office.