Staff Reporter:
The 91st meeting of the committee for leasing out the government-owned jalmohals (water bodies) was held yesterday.
Land Minister Md Mizanur Rahman Minu chaired the meeting at the land ministry conference room at Bang-ladesh Secretariat here. State Minister for Land Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin and Senior Secretary of the ministry A S M Saleh Ahmed were present at the meeting.
The minister said jalmohals are not private property but they belong to the people and protecting public inter-est is the government’s priority.
“Therefore, the authorities must move towards humane, equitable and sustainable management of it in the interest of public welfare, environmental conservation and protecting the livelihoods of the poor people,” he said.
He also stressed the need to ensure government revenue. Referring to the present government’s election mani-festo, he said, “We believe in the principle ‘Jal jar, jola tar’ (water belongs to those who depend on it).”
The minister directed the officials to properly follow the existing Jalmahal Management Policy in the leasing process.
State Minister Mir Helal Uddin directed the concerned officials to make inconsistent lease prices more realistic, in consultation with local Members of Parliament (MPs) and in accordance with the existing laws and policies while ensuring maximum revenue for the government.
At the meeting, nine of the 12 proposed jalmohals in Kishoreganj district, six of 12 in Khulna, 20 of 30 in Hab-iganj and 43 of 54 in Sunamganj were approved for leasing.
The authorities concerned were instructed to conduct further scrutiny of the remaining proposals and place them before the committee later. They were also directed to issue fresh lease notices where the proposed lease prices were found to be inappropriate.
The meeting also approved a proposal to open 23 jalmohals in Pabna district for leasing out.
Officials from the ministry and other concerned departments attended the meeting. Deputy Commissioners of the respective districts also joined the meeting virtually.
