They spend a total of Tk 24,860 crore a year for lawsuits over land, only 1 percent of which is deposited to the government treasury while about 50 percent goes as bribes to officials of police, judiciary and administration.

The study findings published as a book titled 'Political Economy of Land Litigation in Bangladesh: A Case of Colossal National Wastage' also reveal that those presently involved in land cases have spent about Tk 25,039 crore, which is equal to 10 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

Abul Barakat, a professor of economics at Dhaka University, and P K Roy jointly researched and authored the book published by Nijera Kari and Association for Land Reform and Development, two non-government organisations.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed said currently there are 4.5 lakh civil cases pending with the courts, of which 80 percent are land related.

According to him, the number of land cases would decrease if land registration system could be controlled. As example, he said, "A few days ago I heard a plot of land in Savar I had bought in 1972 has been grabbed."

The minister also expressed dissatisfaction at the snail's pace of land litigation.

"On an average 45 persons are affected by a land case, which takes about 9.5 years to be settled," said Barakat, who also is the general secretary of Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA).

Describing how prolonged and delayed judicial proceeding has pushed many families into states of financial insecurity, Barakat said, "Land case is a losing game for both the plaintiffs and the defendants."

Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon said land reform has come to a standstill as the issue has lost its place in the policymakers' corridor.

He also regretted the fact that litigants in land cases lose a lot and are harassed for long due to prolonged judicial proceeding.

Communist Party of Bangladesh General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim named land management and land record system as two principal areas requiring correction. He also emphasised the need for land reform.

Taking part in the discussion, Awami League Presidium Member Motia Chowdhury said containing river erosion must get top priority as it aggravates the country's land dispute situation.

Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain said a strong political will is required to solve the bedlam in land management.

Noted economist Musharraf Hossain chaired the function, where BEA President Qazi Kholiquzzaman, Rahmat Ali MP, eminent journalist Ataus Samad, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Huq Inu, Sigma Huda and Nijera Kari Convenor Khushi Kabir also spoke.