Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Digital Survey (BDS) program is gaining momentum in the country as the modern technology of digital surveys.
The program equipped with South Korea’s state-of-the-art survey drones, aircraft, GNSS, and ETS, will begin following arrival of the logistics from Korea by February 10.
Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda came up with this while inaugurating the 134th Survey and Settlement Training Course organized by the Land Record and Survey Department (DLRS) at the joint camp adjacent to the Officers Training Institute (UTI) mosque in Savar on Sunday.
He said that the BDS operation is being conducted with direct technical assistance from Korea. An 18-member Korean skilled manpower is working in the project area.
The Land Minister said that through the EDLMS project under BDS, the place selection and setting up pillars of the digital survey control point is underway through PCSM pillar (permanent cadastral survey mark) in Chattogram and Narayanganj City Corporation, Manikganj Municipality, and Dhamrai Upazila.
The minister said control-point selection has been completed in Manikganj and Narayanganj, while the selection of places in Chattogram and Dhamrai will end this week. BDS operations will start in Rajshahi and Kushtia next week, he added.
“So, we hope that by the end of next month, BDS map-making through plot-to-plot surveys using satellite, drone, and other fourth-generation technology will commence in selected areas across the country,” Narayon Chandra Chanda said.
Land Secretary Md. Khalilur Rahman said to the trainees that this type of joint training is very important to provide proper land services to the citizens.
“This generates new ideas for service delivery through mutual exchange. The cordial relationship born out of the training is helpful in interdepartmental work later in the career.
The secretary advised everyone to participate in the training with pleasure.
At this time, the secretary said that this training for the Assistant Commissioner (Land) is part of the direction of the head of the government,” he added.
Later, the trainers of the DLRS showed the minister a demo of a modern land survey and presented a general idea about the modern survey machines including drones, GNSS, and ETS machines.
Responding to a question from journalists, the Land Minister said, “We 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.”
Officials of the Ministry of Land and DLRS were also present at the inauguration ceremony which was chaired by the Director General of Department of Land Record (DLRS) and Survey Anis Mahmud.