The Land Administration and Management System of Bangladesh

Land administration is the regulatory framework, institutional arrangements, systems, and processes encompassing the determination, allocation, administration, and information concerning land. On the other hand, land management is the process by which land resources are put to good effect. Land management encompasses all activities associated with managing land and natural resources required to achieve sustainable development.

The functions of the land administration system in Bangladesh are divided into 3 parts, namely,

a)      Land management;

b)      Land survey; and

c)      Land transfer registration.

The functions mentioned above are mainly administered through two separate ministries. One is the Ministry of Land, and another is the Ministry of Law. From the perspective of the region, the Land Administration system is divided into two categories:

a)      Land Administration & Management in Plain Districts;

b)      Land Administration & Management in Hill Tracts Districts.

Land administration deals with creating, transferring, and extinguishing land rights. It also resolves disputes arising out of land rights. In Bangladesh, several government offices regarding land administration also follow the hierarchy from top to bottom. The hierarchy of land administration is discussed below:

Hierarchy of Land Administration:

a)    1.  Union Land Office: In each Union, a Union Land Office has one Union Land Assistant Officer/ Tahsildar, one or more Assistant Tahsildar/ Deputy Land Assistant Officers, Nazir-cum-Cashier and process servers, etc. Union Land Assistant Officer works under the guidance and authority of the Assistant Commissioner of Land. The Deputy Commissioner may recruit him directly or by promotion or by absorption. He requires to have passed HSC or SSC in case of absorption.

b)   2.  Upazila Land Office:  Upazila land administration runs its activities under the guidance of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer. But the Assistant Commissioner of Land discharges all the activities of the Upazila Land Office with the help of the Deputy Assistant Settlement Officer, Surveyor, Head Assistant-cum-Accountant, Nazir, Mutation Clerk, Credit Checking-cum-Sairat Assistant, Process Server, and Chainmen. The Assistant Commissioner of Land also acts as Upazila Revenue Officer, Upazila Settlement Officer, Circle inspector, Revenue Circle Officer, and Revenue Circle Inspector. He is recruited through Bangladesh Civil Service Cadre.

c)   3.   District Collectorate: The District Collectorate Office performs its functions under the guidance of the Deputy Commissioner with the help of the Additional Deputy Commissioner – ADC (General), ADC (Revenue), and Additional Deputy Magistrate. The Additional Deputy Commissioner works with the help of the General Certificate Officer, Revenue Deputy Collector, Assistant Commissioner (Record room), Land Acquisition Officer, Revenue Munshi, and Assistant Engineer.

The Deputy Commissioner is the head of the authority regarding land and revenue in the District. At the District level, all the activities relating to land administration are performed under the all-out guidance and supervision of the District Collector.

d)  4.   Collectorate of the Divisional Commissioner: The Divisional Commissioner is the supreme authority in field-level land administration. The Additional Divisional Commissioner performs all the duties entrusted to the Divisional Commissioner. A Deputy Land Reform Commissioner also works in the collectorate.

e)   5.   Land Reform Board: The land Reform Board is established under The Land Reform Board Act, 1989. It consists of a Chairman and a minimum of two members – a member (land administration) and a member (land management). There are Deputy Land Reform Commissioners posted at the Land Reform Board and at the divisional level from that board member. The Board performs such duties which are conferred on it regarding land reform and management.

f)    6.   Land Appeal Board: Land Appeal Board is established under The Land Appeal Board Act 1989. It consists of a Chairman with the rank of a Secretary of the Government and a minimum of two members with the status of Additional Secretary of the Government. Under them is a secretary with the level of Deputy Secretary of the Government and five wing heads with the position of Senior Assistant Secretary. The Board performs such duties which are conferred on it regarding land administration and other responsibilities entrusted with it by other laws.

g)   7.   Ministry of Land: The Ministry of Land is the highest authority in land administration. The essential aims and objectives of the Ministry are ensuring the best uses, management, and administration of lands for owners, settlers, holders, and lessees, management, and settlement of Government-owned lands, vested properties, and abandoned properties. The collection of land development tax is another important task of this Ministry.

h)  8.   Land Commission: According to Section 4 of The Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord 1997, a Land Commission is constituted to dispose of disputes relating to lands in the three hilly districts, namely, Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari. This Commission comprises five members headed by a retired Judge of the High Court Division. A separate law is enacted for running the Commission, namely, The Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act, 2001.

This is about our land administration system. Though our land administration system is complex, it is time to make changes and create a more accessible land administration system.