A parliamentary body yesterday recommended cancellation of leases of 45, 000 acres of land in the three districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) as those were not used as per terms of the leases in the last 10 years.
The lands were leased to 1,800 people for rubber plantation, farming and forestry.
The parliamentary standing committee on the CHT affairs ministry made the recommendations at a meeting held at Khagrachhari District Council.
President of the committee Promod Mankin, who chaired the meeting, told journalists later that at least 25 acres of land were given to each lessees for specified purposes. But they violated the terms of the leases and did nothing on those lands.
"We have asked the deputy commissioner of Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban to submit details of the lessees with their recommendations at the next meeting of the committee", he said.
The House body also discussed the activities of CHT Development Board (CHTDB) and Internal Displaced Affairs Taskforce, and progress of rehabilitation of returnee (from India) refugees.
The meeting was attended by committee members including State Minister for CHT Affairs and lawmaker from Rangamati Dipankar Talukder, CHTDB Chairman and legislator from Bandarban Bir Bahadur Ushei Singa, lawmaker from Khagrachhari Jatindra Lal Tripura and A B M Fazle Karim Chowdhury, Abdur Rahman Bodhi and Athin Rakhain.