The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

Speakers at a daylong regional seminar titled 'Hurdles in Entering Khas Land and Prospects' here on Thursday asked for proper management and distribution of khas land for ensuring sustainable development of the poor and eradicating poverty.

CARE Bangladesh under its Souhardo programme organised the seminar as a part of its nationwide programme for chalking out a proper and excellent Khas land management process to ensuring entrance and rights of the landless people and sharecroppers to the khas land for attaining their self-reliance.

Chaired by Rangpur Regional Coordinator of Souhardo Programme Subrato Kumar, the seminar was attended by Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Khondker Atiar Rahman as the chief guest.

Expert of Association for Land Reforms Rowshan Jahan Moni presented the keynote paper elaborating the present situation and management systems in the country's khas land, natural and human resources, khas water bodies and relevant matters with a number of suggestions for overcoming those.

Advocacy Unit Coordinator of Souhardo Programme Sheema Gaikoad, President of Gram Unnayan Committee Nur Banu (Kurigram), Ghoghadaho UP chairman Abdul Malek (Kurigram), Laksmitari UP chairman Waheduzzaman Mabu (Rangpur), Pourasabha Commissioner Edris Ali (Rangpur) and Agriculture coordinator of RDRS MG Neogi addressed the seminar.

Among senior government officials, AC (land) of Lalmonirhat Ruhul Amin Mia, Gangachara UNO Mukesh Chandra Biswas, Fulchhari UNO Habibur Rahman, ADC (Rev) of Rangpur Amir Hossain, ADC (Rev) of Nilphamari Malay Kumar Roy, ADC (Rev) of Lalmonirhat Sarwar Mahmud, ADC (Rev) of Gaibandha Abdur Rashid and ADM of Kurigram Khalilur Rahman took part in the discussion.

Several regional seminars were organised at different areas of the country and the recommendations and suggestions received for those will be placed in a national seminar to be arranged in Dhaka on November next for preparing a national proposal on the issue, the organisers said.

The speaker expressed their strong belief that such seminars will help in building mutual confidence and trusts, enhance cooperation among the stakeholder organisations to ensure proper managements in these sectors.

The ongoing Souhardo Programme in 492 UPs of the 18 districts in the country for attaining self-reliance by four lakh poor families by the year 2009 will also be helped by and large like the other poverty alleviation programmes of the GOs and NGOs if the khas land and water bodies were properly distributed among them, they added.