The Ministry of Lands of Bangladesh has won the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Award-2022 as the best project for introducing 'Digital Tax System' in land management. Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury was felicitated by The Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry for playing a leading role in this internationally prestigious achievement.
Chamber President Mahbubul Alam presided over the reception held at Bangabandhu Conference Hall at World Trade Center on Saturday.
Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury said that while serving in the Chattogram Chamber, he has acquired the leadership qualities of working for the common people while working with the problems of traders and expressed his gratitude to the senior and former directors of the Chamber. Along with the technological revolution, he said that he has worked on the working methods and policy reforms of the ministry, which are very challenging and are being completed step by step. Keeping in view the objective of 'Deed to its place', the 'Land Crime Prevention and Remediation Act 2021' is being drafted to protect the real owners from the violence and exploitation of land grabbers, which he hoped to introduce in the National Parliament soon.
Mentioning that he has worked above all personal interests during his ministerial duties, he said that the country is moving forward because the businessmen are in the cabinet.
He also said that the results of the ongoing digital survey are very good. It is hoped that the Prime Minister will fully inaugurate the Digital Survey in December. Through this survey, all the information and crisis of the land of Bangladesh will be solved. Realizing the need for a permanent venue for the trade fair, the long-standing demand of Chattogram businessmen, the land minister assured full cooperation.
Chattogram-11 Constituency Member of Parliament and former Chamber President MA Latif, CDA Chairman M Zahirul Alam Dobash, Chamber Senior Vice President Tarfdar Md Ruhul Amin, Vice President Syed Mohammad Tanveer, Former President Engineer Ali Ahmed and SM Abul Kalam were special guests on the occasion. Former Senior Vice President MA Chalam, Daily Azadi Editor and Former Chamber Director MA Malek, Chamber Directors AKM Akhtar Hossain, Md Ahid Siraj Chowdhury (Swapan) and Hasnat Md Abu Obaida, Former Directors SM Abu Taib and MA Motaleb, Daily Purvakon Managing Editor Jasim Uddin Chowdhury, Rehab President Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury, Mia Group Chairman Mia Abdur Rahim, BSM Group Chairman Abul Bashar Chowdhury, Euro Petro Products Limited Chairman Helal Uddin Chowdhury, GPH Ispat Additional Managing Director Almas Shimul, Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Senior Co-President Abida Mostafa, Secretary General of Chattogram Press Club Chowdhury Farid, President of Mahanagar Shop Owners Association Salamat Ali, Bangladesh Shop Owners Association Chattogram President Saleh Ahmed Suleman and Bangladesh Freedom Fighter Sangsad Chattogram Commander Mozaffar Ahmed spoke.
MA Latif MP said, minister worked with integrity and devotion and has not deviated from his commitments. As a result, the Ministry of Lands under his leadership received global recognition. The country is moving forward despite the global crisis under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Therefore, he expressed optimism that the country will progress further in the next 10 years if this leadership is maintained. Apart from the Ministry of Land, he emphasized on the utilization of unused land under various ministries so that the country can move towards economic self-sufficiency.
Chamber president Mahbubul Alam said that the government is working to deliver services to the people's doorsteps. In continuation of that, Land Records and Survey Directorate, Land Reform Board, Land Appeal Board, Land Administration Training Center and Accounts Controller (Revenue) Office are currently working under the Ministry of Land to deliver all services related to land to the people. If the digital survey of the ministry is implemented, all the land related complications of the country will be solved. There is no permanent venue for trade fairs in Chattogram. Therefore, in terms of international trade, he sought the cooperation of the minister for a permanent venue for organizing the fair in Chattogram.
Chamber Senior Vice-President Tarfdar Md Ruhul Amin said that the current Land Minister played an important role in taking port management to privatization during the tenure of the Chattogram Chamber. The digitization of land under the leadership of the Land Minister will bring all lands on one platform.
Chamber vice-president Syed Mohammad Tanvir said that the country's daily food grain import dependence is increasing day by day, which requires the formation of a task force with the Ministry of Lands along with the Ministry of Food and various agricultural research institutes, Bangladesh Bank. Through this, by using government special land to produce necessary agricultural crops, import dependence can be reduced to some extent and the country's valuable foreign exchange can be saved and food security can be ensured, he said. Other speakers said that once the land ministry was a ministry of harassment. There was suffering at every step. But now all the information related to land is known in one click which is the benefit of the strong leadership of the current land minister. The reputation of this ministry is spreading to the outside world and has received international recognition status, which is not only the business community of Chattogram or the general public but also the glory and pride of the entire country.
Bidder Director Sumon Chowdhury, Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Custom House, Chattogram Chamber Directors Zahirul Islam Chowdhury (Alamgir), Anjan Shekhar Das, Md. Rakibur Rahman (Tutul), Benazir Chowdhury Nishan, Nazmul Karim Chowdhury Sharun, Shahzada Md. Fauzul Alef Khan, Engineer Iftekhar Hossain, Md Iftekhar Faisal, SM Tahsin Jonaid, Mohammad Adnanul Islam, Tanveer Mostafa Chowdhury, Mohammad Nasirul Alam (Fahim), former senior vice-presidents Md Norun Nawaz, Omar Hajjaz, former directors Honorary Consul of the Philippines MA Awal and various government officials. Senior officials of the department, trade body leaders and leading businessmen were present.
