Corruption has become institutionalized and taken a shape of partnership in land sector. The service receivers will face difficulties if corrupt people are not brought under justice. Besides, unabated bribery also prevails at the district and sub-registrar offices across the country, where the people have to pay bribes starting from Tk 500 to 500,000 at each and every step for taking land related services.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has revealed the findings of a research titled “ways to overcome obstacles for good governance in registration and services sector of land documents” (Bhumi dolilnibondhon o sebaysushashoner challenge uttoronerupay) at a press conference at TIB’s Dhanmondi office yesterday.
The research findings jointly presented by deputy programme manger (research and policy) Shammi Laila Islam and programme manager (research and policy) Nihar Ranjan Roy.
Among others, TIB’s trustee board member Sultana Kamal, TIB’s executive director Iftekharuzzamansaid, advisor (executive) Professor Sumaya Khair and director (research and policy) Mohammad Rafiqul Hasan were present during publication of the report.
The report also suggested 15 recommendations to the government for providing proper service to citizens and to make the land sector transparent and corruption free.
The anti-graft watchdog also recommended that the government should increase institutional competency in the land sector to curb corruption. Also, there should be total digitization of entire land administration and management, TIB recommended.
TIB also revealed the amount of internal illegal money transaction in the sector.
Bribes starting from Tk 20,000 to Tk 20 lakh changes hands for recruitment, promotion and other processes, it said.
The district registrar and sub-registrar offices are among the most corrupt places in the country, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzamansaid adding that “Land related services have become synonymous to corruption”.
The service receivers will have to face more difficulties, he said adding that those officials and employees are involved in corruption should be identified immediately.
“The service receivers will face difficulties if the corrupt officials and employees are not brought under trial,” he added.
The TIB has conducted household survey between 1997 and 2017 where 42.5 per cent households were the victims and they had to paid bribes to sub-registrar staffs for receiving services, the report stated.
The TIB has conducted a survey in 41 sub-registrar offices under 16 districts from July 2018 and August 2019.
As per report, a total of 36,72,428 deeds were registered under the registrar department in 2017-18 fiscal years and government earned about Tk 12,433 crore in the same period.
Apart from this, corruptions are also taken place for getting promotion, transfer and obtaining for deed licences, the report stated.
A copy writer has to pay Tk 20,000 to Tk 300,000 for inclusion his or her name in the list of copy writer, the report said.
Besides, Tk two lakh to Tk eight lakh needed to get promotion from copy writer to the post of Muhra, while Tk three lakh to Tk 10 lakh needed to get promotion for the post of assistant from muhra, the TIB report stated.
A person has to pay Tk one lakh to Tk three lakh for getting deed writer licence, while the sub-registrars have to pay Tk three lakh to Tk 20 lakh in transfer purposes for suitable places, the TIB report said. – Staff Reporter
