Land minister launches Bangladesh Digital Survey in Chattogram

Land Minister Saifuzzaman said the journey of the Bangladesh Digital Survey (BDS) programme, promised by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has begun across the country with the launch of BDS in Chattogram.

The minister officially inaugurated the rollout of Bangladesh Digital Survey (BDS) at the Primary Teachers Training Institute (PTI) auditorium in the port city of Chattogram today (6 August). 

Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Md Tofayel Islam was present as a special guest at the event, presided over by Land Secretary Md Khalilur Rahman.

Mentioning that the first science-based survey started in Bangladesh about 130 years ago from Chattogram, the land minister expressed hope that the BDS, which now began in Chattogram, would be the final survey conducted in the field.

The land minister said the main objective of the Bangladesh Digital Survey is to complete the cadastral survey in Bangladesh in a short time and reduce the need for field surveys. 

"Apart from this, there will be no need for a revisional survey for the convenience of digital map partition if there is no major land deviation due to natural reasons in any area," he said.

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury said it will be possible to send the draft of 'Land Crime Prevention and Redress Act' to the parliament by next September for enacting the law. 

Pointing out that the days of illegal land occupation are coming to an end, the minister emphasised that the law includes provisions for both imprisonment and fines as penalties for engaging in illegal land occupation.

Land Secretary Md Khalilur Rahman said mouza map and khatian will be available online at the same time in BDS programme. "Within 15 days, a Khatian will be prepared with map of automatically created holding."

The first phase of BDS rollout activities will be conducted in the Chattogram, Narayanganj and Rajshahi City Corporations, Dhamrai and Kushtia Sadar Upazilas (including municipalities) and Manikganj municipalities totalling 634 mauzas covering 933 square km area under the 'Establishment of Digital Land Management System (EDLMS)' project.

The entire system of BDS will be integrated as a module of the National Land Service Automation System. The geo-referenced Mauza map determined under this project will be provided to the 'Land Management Automation' project. After the sale of the land, the map boundaries will change along with the change in the Mutated Record of Rights.