Parliamentary committee recommends bringing mutation under the land ministry

A parliamentary standing committee has recommended bringing land registration under the land ministry to stop the dominance of sub-registrars, by bringing the mutation process under automation, in order to remove mismanagement and corruption and ensure harassment-free, people-friendly land management.

The recommendation was made at the second meeting of the standing committee on the land ministry of the National Parliament on Sunday (8 November). The meeting was held at the Parliament building, chaired by committee president Naser Rahman.

Committee members and Land Minister Md Mizanur Rahman Minu, Joynal Abdin, Sultana Ahmed, Md Mahbubur Rahman (Belal) and Muhammadullah took part in the meeting.

The meeting stressed bringing the mutation process under automation to remove discrimination, mismanagement and corruption at all levels and to ensure harassment-free, people-friendly land management.

The committee recommended determining, district-wise, the amount of vested property and the probable mouza value, in order to ascertain the position of illegal occupiers.

The meeting also recommended taking the necessary steps to dispose of cases that have been pending for a long time.

The committee recommended taking the necessary measures to prevent irregularities such as using the deed of the same land as collateral to take loans from multiple banks, and ensuring an integrated work plan for information in the banking system.

It recommended determining the actual market value of land for upazila and municipal areas and city corporation areas.

The committee recommended rationalising the transfer value of immovable property with the market value, and bringing various fees related to land transfer as well as gain tax to a rational level.

It recommended transforming the existing conventional land administration system into an integrated digital land administration system, with the aim of resolving serious social conflicts over land ownership, ensuring fair and transparent land development tax management and establishing land administration, and strengthening citizen-friendly land services.

It also recommended taking the necessary measures to prevent corruption at the field level, stop harassment of service recipients at AC Land, LA branch and Kanungo offices, and ensure broker-free land services.