Law afoot to protect farmland: Minister
The government is preparing a law to ensure protection and maximum utilisation of the farmlands across the country to achieve food security.
The land ministry has already started working to enact the law styled "Protection of Farmland and Land Utilisation Law 2011" that will stop misuse of arable lands.
Land Minister Rezaul Karim Hira said this to a two-day international workshop at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban, Dhaka University (DU) yesterday.
He was addressing as the chief guest the technical session of the workshop on "Impact of tobacco cultivation and policy advocacy for shifting to food and other agricultural crops."
Eight papers were presented in the first-day session of the workshop yesterday, being hosted by Ubinig, a policy and action research organisation.
Prof Jacob K Kibwage of South Eastern University College of Kenya presented a study paper in the session, suggesting for cultivation of alternative crops like bamboo instead of tobacco as a means for livelihood and protection of the farmlands.
Another study, presented by Engr Sayeed Ahmed Baset of LGED, Mymensingh, showed that tobacco farming is destroying the ecosystem of the Matamuhuri River flowing across the county's southern hilly areas.
Ubinig executive director Farida Akhter placed a 10-point recommendation including increasing of tax on tobacco products to end its cultivation.
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