Bangladesh to remain tough on foreign voluntary groups acquiring immovable assets

The land ministry publishes the draft of a law and seeks opinions on it

The government has decided to retain a provision preventing foreign voluntary organisations from acquiring immovable assets in Bangladesh without permission.

Such assets, acquired through purchase, donation, exchange or other means will be appropriated by the government, according to the provision of a draft law.

The land ministry has published the draft of the Foreign Voluntary Organisations (Acquisition of Immovable Property) Regulation Act, seeking opinions from people on its website.

Mohammad Shahanur Alam, a deputy secretary at the ministry’s acquisition cell that drafted the law, said it was made by transforming a 1983 ordinance passed during the military rule, which had the same provisions as the law.

Under the draft law, foreign voluntary organisations are foreign voluntary organisation” means any organisation, body or authority, whether incorporated or not, constituted or established in any country outside Bangladesh for the purpose of doing any voluntary work, or rendering any voluntary service to any individual, organisation, body or authority, in Bangladesh.

The land ministry said the opinions on the draft law can be sent via mail or emailed to [email protected] by Sept 11.