The Cabinet on Monday approved a proposed law entitled “Balumahal and Soil Management Act, 2023” to safeguard agricultural land by prohibiting the extraction of sand, mud, and soil from crop fields.
The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain detailed the proposed legislation in a media briefing following the meeting.
The law, he explained, would not only impose restrictions on the government but also on individuals, barring them from extracting underground resources such as soil, mud, or sand from croplands.
The legislation will further empower government officials to confiscate any tools or equipment used in illegal sand mining activities.
Additionally, in a move to fortify land rights and curb illegal activities, the Cabinet has passed another law related to land management.
This law proposes a stringent punishment of up to seven years of imprisonment for offences like land forgery and land grabbing.
