Data unavailable on land, water area in country

Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury yesterday told parliament that there is no specific data on the size of land and water portions in Bangladesh.

"No specific information was found regarding the size of water and land parts of the country from Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics or any other government organisations," the minister said in reply to a tabled question from ruling Awami League MP M Abdul Latif.

He said for the welfare of the people of the country, the land ministry and other related ministries are working round the clock for preserving arable land, forests and waterbodies.

Replying to another query from Mozaffar Hossain from Jamalpur-5, the land minister said no land development tax is needed if the amount of total personal and family based-arable land is up to 8.25 acres or 25 bighas.

Under this waiver, sugarcane cultivation, land for salt farming and ponds (except fish farming on commercial basis) will be included, he said.

Meanwhile, replying to Jatiya Party MP Shameem Haider Patwari, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq said names of some 234,347 freedom fighters have been published in the gazette whereas some 191,898 are getting honorarium.

He said for getting the honorarium allowances, a freedom fighter has to be listed in of the 33 accepted proof documents.

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad yesterday informed parliament that manpower export in different Middle East destinations are becoming normal gradually in recent times, as more than 1,500 to 2,000 migrant workers are going to different countries in Middle East every day.

The minister said this while participating in the thanksgiving motion on the President's speech.

He also said problems centring manpower export in Malaysia will be resolved soon.