Land minister Narayon Chandra Chanda has directed the authorities concerned to ensure swift handover of the cheque of compensation to the land owners whose land has been acquired by the government.
The minister directed the Divisional Commissioners to ensure speedy handover of compensation checks to the land owners after the approval of the Deputy Commissioner during a meeting held at his office at the secretariat in the capital on Thursday. Land Secretary Md Khalilur Rahman chaired the meeting.
The land minister said the acquisition process is an emergency issue for the greater interest of the country, including socio-economic and industrial development.
However, many people lost their centuries-old ancestral land, many lost the graves of their ancestors and many lost agricultural land. In such a situation, the delay in receiving the compensation cheque is not only a financial loss for the land owners but also a kind of psychological trauma, added the minister.
Terming the people involved in irregularities and corruption in the management of the acquisition as enemies of the society, the minister said they are obstructing the normal development work of the country implemented under the leadership of the Prime Minister as well as embarrassing the government.
The land minister expressed his firm determination to build a sustainable resistance system against those who harass the land owners affected by the acquisition.
The minister said initiatives have already been taken to digitize the process of cheque handover of land acquisition. In order to prevent corruption in land acquisition and reduce the sufferings of the owners of the acquired land, measures are being taken to pay compensation for land acquisition through the iBAS++ system.
