Number of landless on the rise

Insightful leadership and proactive participation of people are needed to solve issues such as land reforms, they said.

The National Committee to Observe Land Rights Day organised the seminar at the LGED auditorium in the city.

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According to a research study, the share of landless households has increased to 56 percent in 1996 from 19 percent in 1960, said Shamsul Huda, executive director of ADSC, in his keynote speech.

In rural areas, the assets, especially land, have been concentrated to a fewer community over the years due to lack of proper supervision and land policy, he said.

Only 20 lakh people, out of 11 crore rural population, enjoying the entire land ownership, he said, adding that the land is more inaccessible to the Hindu and ethnic minority people.

Advocate Mahbubur Rahman, chairman of parliamentary committee on land, said the government is aware about the land issue and the parliamentary committee would continue to work on land reform.

The committee has recommended making a list of khas lands, he said, ading that stern action will be taken against the land grabbers, he said.

Dr Ahmed Kamal of Dhaka University, Dr Atiur Rahman, senior search fellow of BIDS and journalist Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul also spoke.