Dhaka:The parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Land has advised implementing measures to eliminate the influence of middlemen and eradicate corruption within land services at the field level.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the recommendation emerged from the committee’s second meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, chaired by Nasser Rahman, MP. The committee emphasized the need for effective steps to prevent corruption and stop harassment of service seekers at AC Land offices, land acquisition sections, and Kanungo offices to ensure smooth and hassle-free land services for citizens.
The initial part of the meeting confirmed the minutes from the committee's first meeting. Following this, the Ministry of Land provided a detailed report on the progress of implementing decisions from that meeting. The committee further proposed bringing land services directly to the people through a hassle-free, citizen-friendly land management system, aligning with the government's commitment to building a fair society by eliminating discrimination and mismanagement.
To advance this goal, the committee suggested automating the mutation process and integrating land registration activities under the Ministry of Land to diminish the dominance of sub-registrars. It also advised identifying illegal occupants of vested properties by determining their district-wise amount and estimated mouza-wise value, and taking necessary steps to resolve long-pending cases.
Moreover, the committee called for measures to prevent irregularities such as the use of the same land deed as collateral for loans from multiple banks, recommending a coordinated action plan for information sharing across the banking system. It also urged the determination of actual market values of land in various regions and rationalizing property transfer values in line with market prices while reducing assorted land transfer fees to reasonable levels.
To tackle serious social conflicts over land ownership, the committee stressed transforming the conventional land administration system into an integrated digital one. Recommendations were also made for establishing a fair and transparent system for land development tax collection while enhancing citizen-friendly services.
The committee also highlighted the need for expedited selection of khas land to establish a modern and permanent training academy for land officials and employees under the "Establishment of Bangladesh Survey and Settlement and Land Administration Training Academy" project.
The meeting was attended by Land Minister M Mizanur Rahman Minu, committee members Zainal Abedin, Sultana Ahmed, M Mahbubur Rahman (Belal), and Muhammadullah, along with the Secretary of the Ministry of Land, Chairman of the Land Reform Board, heads of departments and agencies under the ministry, senior officials, and representatives of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat.