Land Minister Narayan Chandra Chanda said the primary aim of the government is not only to collect revenue but also to improve the welfare and livelihood of local fishers.
He said this while presiding over the 76th meeting of the committee on leasing of government Jalmahals (water bodies) of the Ministry of Land held at the conference room of the Ministry of Land at the Secretariat
on Thursday. Land Secretary Md Khalilur Rahman was present on the occasion. Besides, officials of the Ministry of Land, Department of Cooperatives, and Department of Fisheries were also present. Concerned Deputy Commissioners virtually attended the meeting.
Emphasizing the government's unwavering commitment to the welfare of the poor and marginal fishers, Narayon Chandra Chanda asserted that while working within the confines of the law, priority must be given to ensuring the welfare of local fishers.
The Land Minister stressed the importance of maintaining a balance between economic considerations and social responsibility. He urged the protection of the interests of fisheries dependents to enhance their livelihoods and promote sustainable fishing practices. Additionally, he expressed the necessity of raising awareness among marginalized fishers.
Land Secretary Md. Khalilur Rahman explained that if an individual or cooperative society applies online and does not receive a lease for any reason, it is not obligatory to reapply online during subsequent applications. In such cases, manual applications will be accepted during reapplication to accommodate the convenience of the applicant(s).
It is to be noted that 121 Jalmahal leases were approved based on reports and recommendations received from Joypurhat, Netrokona, Jashore, Kurigram, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Sherpur, and Kishoreganj district administrations.
Now the application for the Jalmahal lease can be filed from the land.gov.bd land service platform or directly from the jm.lams.gov.bd web portal. Apart from this, the application process for the Jalmahal lease and the details of the lease process could be known from the above web portal.
It is to be noted that the area of fishing in Beel, Haor, Baor, low-lying wetlands, and rivers is called Jalmahal (water bodies). According to one estimate, the number of water bodies in the country, big and small, is about 38,000. These leases generate a revenue of about Taka 100 crore a year. A number of Jalmahals have been kept non-leased as traditional and sightseeing places such as Ramsagar in Dinajpur, Hurasagar in Sirajganj. Notable water bodies, which are declared as the fishing sanctuaries, are Tanguar Haor in Sunamganj, Hakaluki Haor in Moulvibazar, etc. Jalmahal is one of the primary sources of animal protein for the people of the country.
The ‘Development Project’ lease applications for government Jalmahal and special types of Jalmahal of above 20 acres for 6 years are presented and approved at the meeting of the ‘government Jalmahal lease committee’ chaired by the land minister at the ministry level. In the ‘General Application’, the lease application of the government Jalmahal of ‘above 20 acres for 3 years are presented and approved in the meeting of the District Jalmahal Management Committee. In the ‘General Application’, the lease application of the government Jalmahals of above 20 acres for 3 years are presented and approved in the meeting of ‘Upazila Jalmahal Management Committee’. Besides, Water Bodies are handed over to various ministries as per the proposed project plan through memorandum of understanding for public interest.