Editorial
Land management
Sustainability necessary for survival
Experts at a roundtable on sustainable land management in the Bangladeshi context have identified several problems in, along with some solutions to, sustainable land management in a country where, today, land is perhaps the most sought-after resource. It is limited and expensive, making it necessary to make the land we have sustainable. On the one hand, overpopulation, unplanned housing and industrialisation are creating immense pressures on the land, draining agricultural terrain of its fertility and productivity. On the other, the increasing effects of climate change such as rising water levels and salinity are posing a threat to loss of habitable land as well. It is thus imperative that we make the best use of the land we have. This requires careful planning, and designing and implementation of a comprehensive policy outlining how the land can be best used without damaging it further. When forming this policy, the abovementioned factors, not least of all the rising threat of climate change, must be taken into consideration.
The issue of illegal expropriation of land by influential quarters must also be addressed. We agree with the experts that for all this to happen, political will is key -- of the government as well as other political parties for they will be the ones to formulate and implement the policy on a durable basis. It is because of lack of such will so far that land management has been flawed and weak.
The government's ministries and departments must coordinate in planning, policy and action; other political parties must contribute to the process; and everything should be done without further delay. With environmental concerns included in the last amended version of the Constitution, protection and preservation of the environment are a duty of the State and right of the people, not to mention a basic necessity for survival.
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