Nilphamari, Oct. 13 -- Bangladesh Railway land under illegal occupation will be identified and reclaimed, said Road Transport and Bridges and Railway Minister Shaikh Robiul Alam on Tuesday.

"We want to use the land first for railway needs and then for the needs of the state. The railway land under occupation will be reclaimed," he told reporters at Saidpur Railway Workshop in Nilphamari after inspecting the facility in the morning.

There are around 2,400 railway residential units in Saidpur, of which about 900 are currently occupied, he said.

"There is no shortage of residential accommodation. Many people are reluctant to live in railway quarters because better houses are available for rent outside at lower costs than the rent charged ...