The government is digitalising khas land distribution records to make the procedure more transparent and accountable.
State Minister for Law Advocate Qamrul Islam disclosed this after a roundtable organised by Care Bangladesh in Dhaka on Saturday. He said the government would consider policy amendments to improve, and extend its support to the poor in accessing their right to land.
In a press release Care Bangladesh said only 10% of households own 50% of the agricultural lands, however, 80% of all farmers are small holders, data that highlights the dependency of the rural poor on subsistence agriculture.
While the Khas Land Management and Distribution Policy 1992 sets guidelines for distribution of common lands, issues of corruption, lack of resources and lack of knowledge about the application process are some of the barriers facing those entitled to the land.
Jamie Terzi, country director of Care Bangladesh said: “Care Bangladesh seeks to address this implementation gap and act as a partner with communities and local government and as a catalyst for change.”
