Govt formulating law to protect agricultural land: Adviser Adilur

Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan has announced that the government is in the process of formulating a new law aimed at protecting agricultural land and the environment, with the Ministry of Land leading the initiative.

"The government is working on a comprehensive legal framework to safeguard agricultural land from unplanned urbanization and industrial expansion," he said while addressing the inaugural session of the 4th International Conference on Urban and Regional Planning-2025 at Dhaka University's Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Auditorium today (10 May).

Organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), the three-day event was inaugurated by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan with BIP President Prof Adil Mohammed Khan presiding over the session.

Adilur emphasised the importance of environmentally compatible development to preserve biodiversity and ecological balance. 

He voiced concern over the uncoordinated planning by public and private agencies, which has led to the steady loss of arable land.

"Bangladesh has a significantly higher population-to-land ratio than countries like China, Japan, and Malaysia. Spatial planning is crucial to address this challenge," he said.

BIP Convener Planner Mohammad Fazle Reza Sumon, Khulna University Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Rezaul Karim, Housing and Public Works Secretary Md Nazrul Islam, and UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacl udia Rossbach, among others, spoke at the event.

BIP Joint Secretary Tamzidul Islam gave the welcome speech, while General Secretary Shaikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan presented the keynote address.

This year's conference features over 60 presentations and is being attended by 35 international delegates from 15 countries, including the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, and Sweden.