Provide plots against all acquired lands

Gazipur district residents, whose lands were acquired for Rajuk's Purbachal New Town project, yesterday demanded plots for all the affected land owners and adequate compensation.
As per Rajuk, only those who had their residence in the acquired land are eligible to apply for plots in the project, said Sheikh Reza Ahmed, whose land was also acquired, at a press conference in the capital's Jatiya Press Club.
Rajuk states that owners of 16.50 decimal of land can apply for 3-katha (10 katha = 16.50 decimal) plots while owners of 33 decimal of land can apply for 5-katha plots, he said.
Only 2,000, from around 15,000 land owners, have applied for the plots while Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) allotted only 576 plots so far, he added.
Reza said not only were they getting a fraction of the actual market price of their lands as compensation, some officials of Gazipur Deputy Commissioner's Office were also demanding bribes for the compensation's paperwork.
The government is giving Tk 1.20 lakh for each bigha of land (1 bigha = 33 decimal) whereas the current market price is Tk 2 to 3 crore, he said.
The land owners can not even get the whole amount as the officials were demanding nearly 30 to 40 percent from each bigha as bribe.
“If anyone denies paying, the officials delay the paperwork unnecessarily.” Due to this, around 60 percent of the land owners failed to get their compensation, said Reza.
Stating that the acquisition left many with no source of livelihood since 2000, he also urged the government to provide at least flats to those who owned less than 16.5 decimal of land.