Dhaka, Nov 29 (ANI): Bangladesh has passed a landmark bill that would allow the return of property seized from the country's Hindu minority.
The law, initially called the Enemy Property Act, allowed the authorities to take over land and buildings of Hindus who migrated to India.
Under its terms, property belonging to millions of Hindus who fled to India was confiscated. The law came into effect in 1965 when Pakistan and India fought a brief war.
The act was renamed as the Vested Properties Act after independence.
The Vested Properties Return (Amendment) Bill 2011 will now allow Hindus to reclaim their property taken over by the government and individuals.
"There are some good provisions but it doesn't go far enough to address our demand that all the properties seized or taken over until recently should be returned to their rightful owners," the BBC quoted Supreme Court lawyer Subrata Chowdhury, as saying.
According to experts, while the changes to the law are welcome, it will be practically impossible to return all the land because some of it was confiscated over 40 years ago.
Most of it appears to have been taken over by Muslims with links to the main political parties.
Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi government has said that it will soon publish a list of properties that were seized.
It added that any Hindu wanting to make a claim would have 90 days to do so. (ANI)
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