Plots on water bodies pose threat to bio-diversity
Speakers at a seminar yesterday observed that making commercial plots on croplands and water bodies poses threat to food security and bio diversity.
Rights to food and life standard of farmers are reducing while number of poverty-hit people is increasing due to making plots on croplands and water bodies, they said.
They made the observation at a seminar on "Grabbing Land and Water Bodies for Commercial Use and Human Vulnerability" at the city's YWCA conference room.
Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) organised the event with its Chairperson Khushi Kabir was in the chair.
Muhammed Kamal Uddin, coordinator of ARBAN, presented an instance on the city's Bhashantek slum while Philip Gain, director of SHED, on tea plantation workers and indigenous community and Nashid Reza, programme officer (Law) of ALRD, on Rupganj incident.
They also recommended non-approval of any project filling water bodies and cultivable land as these projects directly hamper people's livelihoods.
Speakers also demanded proper implementation of the related laws and raising awareness among the people about their rights to land.
Executive Director of ALRD Shamsul Huda said grabbing cultivable land and water bodies are going on in the name of commercialisation since last two/three decades and most of the cases these were done illegally.
Khushi Kabir said common people are losing their accessibility to land as the grabbers are continuing their activities.
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