Land adviser AF Hassan Ariff has raised concerns over frequent reports of irregularities in the land acquisition process, noting that landowners have been victims of harassment.
He also emphasised the importance of ensuring fair compensation, cautioning against providing excessive payments.
The adviser was speaking at the 144th meeting of the Central Land Allocation Committee at the conference room of the Ministry of Land on Monday.
Attended by senior officials, including ASM Saleh Ahmed, senior secretary of the Ministry of Land, the meeting addressed various issues affecting land management.
Ariff pointed out that improper height determinations during bridge construction have led to navigation disruptions during monsoons, causing public sufferings. He called for better planning to prevent such issues.
The adviser also noted the alarming decrease in agricultural land due to industrialisation and housing projects. He urged the adoption of new technologies in construction to optimise land use while preserving water bodies and maintaining environmental balance.
In the meeting, proposals for land acquisition were approved, including 2.57 acres for road construction in Sataish Mouza of Dhaka district, 0.31151 acres for passenger footpaths at a metro rail station in Tejgaon, 1.1402 acres in Narayanganj's Rupganj, and 5.0836 acres in Gazipur's Sadar Upazila and 1.1327 acres of land for Dhaka Mass Transit Company's station construction project.
However, a proposal to acquire 14.49 acres in Gazipur's Kaultia Mauza for the Asset Project under the Directorate of Technical Education was deferred for further scrutiny.
