BARGUNA. Aug 7 : A large number of cases related to khas land have been lying unsettled with various land courts across the country’s coastal belt causing sufferings to the people, reports UNB.

According to a survey conducted by a local non-govern-ment organisation, about 1.5 lakh people of landless families of the coastal belt have been leading an inhuman life due to the bureaucratic complexities in allocating and recording of khas lands in the Barisal region.

Local people said vast areas of land were identified as khas land In the coastal districts which the government had decided to allocate among the landless people.

According to the survey report the applications of about 25.000 land less families are lying pending for the last half century.

Some people complained that after receiving the allocation of khas land they have been facing obstacles to get the possession due to complex procedures and red-taplsm.

They also alleged that a section of dishonest employees of the land offices allocate the

same land to more than one people by adopting illegal practice.

As a result, the common people fall in trouble in getting possession of their lands.

Taking the advantage, locally influential land owners use their muscle power to grab the lands.

Some of the victims said the land policy, rules and regulations prompt the local touts to file cases increasing the number of unsettled cases.

Source said, in Golachipa land office alone, some 14.806 land cases have been lying unsettled involving 31.170 acres of Khas land in the thana.

The cases were filed before announcement of the Land Policy in 1987

Following the new land policy. fresh cases were filed and remained unsettled as usual. The number of such cases is 1.156, tlie report said.