No specific data available on country's land or water portions: Land minister

There is no specific data on the size of land and water portions in Bangladesh, Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury told the Parliament today.

"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," he said responding to a tabled question from ruling party MP M Abdul Latif.

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

Replying to Mozaffar Hossain from Jamalpur-5 constituency, the 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 Shamim Haider Patwari, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq said that names of some 234,347 freedom fighters have been published in the gazette whereas some 191,898 are getting honorarium.

He said that for getting the honorarium allowances, a freedom fighter has to be listed in any proof of the 33 proofs. One will be eligible to get honorarium after scrutiny.