JS body seeks land registration under land ministry

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Land has recommended bringing all land registration-related activities under the ministry and fully automating the mutation process to end the harassment and curb the alleged high-handedness of sub-registrars.

The recommendation was made at the committee’s second meeting, held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Sunday, with the committee chairman, Naser Rahman, in the chair. 

Land Minister Md Mizanur Rahman Minu, committee members Zainal Abdin, Sultana Ahmed, Md Mahbubur Rahman (Belal) and Muhammadullah attended the meeting.

The committee stressed the need to bring land services to people’s doorsteps by eliminating discrimination, mismanagement and corruption in the sector. 

It also recommended taking effective measures to prevent fraudulent practices in which the same land deed is used as collateral to obtain loans from multiple banks. 

Emphasising transparency in land-related transactions, the committee recommended determining the actual market value of land in upazilas, municipalities and city corporation areas. It also called for rationalising the declared values of property transfers in line with market prices and bringing various land transfer fees and capital gains tax to reasonable levels.

The committee further recommended identifying the extent of vested properties in each district, determining their estimated mouza values and taking necessary steps to resolve long-pending cases involving such properties. 

To address social conflicts over land ownership and ensure fair and transparent management of land development tax, the committee proposed transforming the existing land administration system into an integrated digital platform.

The committee also recommended taking effective measures to prevent corruption at the field level and stop harassment of service seekers at the offices of assistant commissioners (land), land acquisition (LA) sections and kanungo offices. The need to ensure land services free from the influence of middlemen was also emphasised.

Besides, the committee called for expediting the selection of khas land for establishing a modern and permanent training academy for land officials and employees under the project titled 'Establishment of Bangladesh Survey and Settlement and Land Administration Training Academy'.