Plot-to-plot land mapping to begin in February: Land minister

Plot-to-plot land mapping under the Bangladesh Digital Survey (BDS) is likely to start in selected areas across the country by next month, Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda said on Sunday. 

"Control-point selection has been completed in Manikganj and Narayanganj. Place selection in Chattogram and Dhamrai will end this week while BDS operations will start in Rajshahi and Kushtia next week," Narayon Chandra said. 

The minister said this while inaugurating the 134th Survey and Settlement Training Course organised by the Land Record and Survey Department (DLRS) at the joint camp near the Officers Training Institute (UTI) mosque in Savar. 

Through the Establishment of Digital Land Management System (EDLMS) project under the BDS, the place selection and the setting up of pillars of the digital survey control point known as permanent cadastral survey mark (PCSM) is underway in Chattogram, Narayanganj, Manikganj, and upazila, he said. 

Satellite, drone, and other fourth-generation technologies will be used to conduct the plot-to-plot digital surveys.  

The BDS operation is being conducted with direct technical assistance from Korea. An 18-member Korean team is working in the project area.

The latest technology of digital surveys, including South Korea's state-of-the-art survey drones, aircraft, GNSS, and ETS, will arrive by 10 February, according to land ministry officials. 

Once BDS is implemented, automation systems will be introduced, including land survey, and network establishment within land management offices. With the establishment of a link between Mouza-map and record, land owners will be able to easily view records and plots online. 

At the event, the trainers of the Department of Land Record and Survey (DLRS) presented a demo of a modern land survey and presented a general idea about the modern survey machines including drones, GNSS, and ETS machines before the minister. 

Land Secretary Md Khalilur Rahman and Director General of the DLRS Anis Mahmud also attended the programme. 

Responding to a question from journalists present at the end of the programme, the land minister said, "I will work to ensure fair rights over people's land." 

Replying to another question, the minister said, "Digital land zoning map is being prepared through another project, which will make planned use of land including protection of agricultural land, wetlands, hills, and forests."

The 51-day training course involving 56 officers from the administration and police cadres of Bangladesh Civil Service and Bangladesh Judicial Service is scheduled to end in March.

The initiative will ensure transparency and accountability in land survey and management, reducing public sufferings and creating skilled human resources. 

Mouza map and khatian will be available online after the completion of the BDS. Within 15 days, a Khatian will be prepared with a map of automatically generated holding.