Govt land to be transferred at market price, not token price

Staff reporter :

Government land will no longer be handed over to any organisation at nominal or token prices, Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed announced on Monday, signalling a shift toward stricter valuation policies on public assets.

Speaking to reporters following a meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Economic Affairs and Government Procurement at the Secretariat, the finance adviser emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring that all land transfers reflect appropriate market value.

”If anyone wants to acquire government land, they will have to pay the proper price,” he stated firmly.

The announcement comes in the wake of a proposal to transfer ownership of Jalil Textile Mills Ltd, located in Bhatiari, Chattogram, from the Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation (BTMC) to the Bangladesh Army.
The transfer aims to facilitate the expansion of the Bangladesh Ordnance Factory (BOF) in the region.

The Ministry of Textiles and Jute placed the proposal before the committee, which granted it in-principle approval.

However, the finance adviser made it clear that the land will not be handed over at a nominal rate. “We’ve recommended that the transfer be made at a fair and justified price,” Dr. Salehuddin said, underscoring concerns about misuse and inefficiency when land is provided at token cost.

Drawing on past examples, he highlighted that organisations often overstate their land requirements when prices are artificially low. “Even when an organisation needs only 10 acres, it may demand 100 acres simply because the land is practically free,” he remarked.

This practice, he noted, leads to wasteful allocation and underutilisation of valuable state resources.

The new policy direction reflects the government’s broader effort to enforce accountability, prevent land misuse, and ensure optimal use of public assets-particularly in strategic or high-value locations.