Land Records Bangladesh: Check Plot & Developer Title Online | GLG Assets

Land fraud is more common in Bangladesh than most flat buyers realise. Every year, people sign agreements — sometimes pay full advances — only to discover the developer never had clean title to the land in the first place. Checking land records in Bangladesh before committing to any property purchase is the single most effective way to protect yourself. This guide explains the three government portals you need, what each one tells you, and the exact documents you should ask any developer to produce before you sign anything.

Three official portals for checking land records in Bangladesh

Most people don’t know these portals exist. The government has invested in digitising land records over the past decade, and while the systems aren’t perfect, they give you a real starting point before visiting any land office in person.

land.gov.bd: the Ministry of Land’s main portal (land.gov.bd). This is where you search khatian records, check mutation status, and confirm whether land development tax has been paid. It covers most districts across Bangladesh. If you want to verify that a seller or developer’s name actually appears in the government’s ownership records, this is where you start.

dlrs.gov.bd: the Department of Land Records and Surveys (dlrs.gov.bd). This is the body responsible for cadastral surveys and the preparation of Records of Rights (ROR). If you need to understand the survey history of a plot — CS, RS, SA, or BS records — this is the reference point. Useful when tracing older ownership chains.

wplrs.rajuk.gov.bd: RAJUK’s Web-enabled Plot-based Land Record System (wplrs.rajuk.gov.bd). For anyone buying a flat or plot within Dhaka city, this is the most directly relevant tool. You can search by plot number or owner name within RAJUK’s jurisdiction and pull up the recorded owner against the GIS map. No other competitor guide mentions this one — yet it’s the most useful for Dhaka flat buyers specifically.

One thing to be clear about: these portals give you preliminary information. They’re good enough to spot obvious red flags. For final verification — especially if the land history is complex or disputed — you still need to visit the AC (Land) office or Sub-Registrar’s office, or get a lawyer to run a proper title search.

What is a khatian, dag number, and mutation? (plain language)

Before you can use any of these portals, you need to know what you’re looking at. The jargon isn’t complicated once you see how the pieces fit together.

The dag number identifies a specific plot of land within a mouza (a local administrative unit, roughly equivalent to a village or locality). Think of it like a plot’s ID number.

The khatian (also called porcha or Record of Rights) is the government’s official record of who owns that plot, the size of the land, and its classification. There are different types depending on which survey produced them — CS (Cadastral Survey, the oldest), RS (Revisional Survey), SA (State Acquisition Survey), and BS (Bangladesh Survey, the most recent). For a flat buyer in Dhaka, the RS or BS khatian is the one to focus on.

Mutation (namjari) is the process of updating the khatian when ownership changes hands — through purchase, inheritance, or gift. After a developer buys land, they must complete mutation before their name appears in the official records. If the mutation isn’t done, the land is legally still recorded under the previous owner’s name. That’s a serious problem for a flat buyer.

Khajna is the annual land development tax. If it hasn’t been paid, it creates complications for your ownership after purchase — you may inherit arrears, and in some cases the government can take action against the property.

A clean land record means: the developer’s name is in the khatian, mutation is complete, and khajna is paid up to date. All three boxes need to be ticked.

How to verify a developer’s land ownership before signing anything

This is where most guides stop giving useful advice and start repeating general legal disclaimers. Here’s the actual process, step by step.

Step 1: Ask the developer for the dalil and khatian copies

Before you open any portal, get the documents from the developer. A reputable developer will hand over certified copies of the registered deed (dalil) and the RS/BS khatian without any hesitation. If they stall or make excuses, that’s already a red flag. Note down the dag number(s), mouza name, upazila, and district — you’ll need these for the portal searches.

Step 2: Check ownership on land.gov.bd

Go to land.gov.bd and use the khatian search function. Enter the district, upazila, mouza, and khatian number from the documents the developer gave you. The portal will show you the registered owner’s name. It should match the developer’s company name. If it shows a different name — the previous landowner, for instance — ask the developer directly whether mutation has been completed and ask to see the mutation certificate.

Step 3: Cross-check on RAJUK WPLRS (for Dhaka projects)

For any project within Dhaka city’s RAJUK jurisdiction, go to wplrs.rajuk.gov.bd and use the “Search Plot Owner” function. Enter the plot number or holding number from the developer’s RAJUK approval documents. The result shows you the recorded plot owner in RAJUK’s GIS-linked database. This is separate from the Ministry of Land records — both should be consistent.

Step 4: Verify mutation is complete

On land.gov.bd, check the mutation status for the khatian. If the land was recently acquired by the developer, you want to confirm the mutation order has been issued, and the developer’s name has replaced the previous owner’s name in the records. An application submitted but not yet approved is not complete mutation — the legal risk is still there.

Step 5: Check khajna payment

Ask the developer for the latest khajna receipt. You can also verify payment status through land.gov.bd. Unpaid land development tax doesn’t automatically invalidate ownership, but it does create financial obligations that can transfer to the buyer in certain circumstances — and it’s a sign of how carefully the developer manages their legal obligations.

Step 6: Physical verification

For projects where the land history is complex, or where you can’t confirm the records online (some older mouza records still aren’t digitised), visit the Assistant Commissioner (Land) office of the relevant upazila. Ask whether there are any pending disputes, court orders, acquisition notices, or encumbrances on the land. This takes half a day, but for a purchase worth ৳50 lakh or more, it’s worth the trip.

Five documents to ask any developer for before signing

This is the practical checklist. A trustworthy developer produces all of these without being asked twice.

1. Registered deed (dalil) — the document proving the developer acquired the land through a registered sale, gift, or other transfer. Check the registration number, date, and sub-registrar’s office.
2. RS/BS khatian — certified copy showing the developer’s name as the recorded owner. Match the dag number and mouza against what you see on land.gov.bd.
3. Mutation certificate (namjari) — confirms that ownership transfer is complete in the revenue records and the developer’s name has been updated in the khatian.
4. Khajna receipt — land development tax paid up to the current Bangla calendar year. No arrears.
5. RAJUK approval/layout plan — for any Dhaka project, the developer should hold RAJUK’s approval for the building plan. This confirms the project is legally sanctioned, not just that the land is owned. You can cross-check the plot on wplrs.rajuk.gov.bd to confirm it falls within the approved project boundary.

If a developer provides all five without friction, that’s a good sign. If any of these documents are “in process” or “we’ll provide them later” — pause. That’s not a paperwork delay, it’s a legal exposure.

When online records are not enough

To be honest: the government portals aren’t complete for every district, and some older khatian records haven’t been digitised yet. Court encumbrances, khas land status, waqf property restrictions, and acquisition orders may not show up in an online search at all. For high-value purchases, it’s worth commissioning a full title search report from a property lawyer — they visit the Sub-Registrar’s office, the AC (Land) office, and the relevant courts to produce a documented report on the property’s legal standing. This typically costs between ৳10,000–৳25,000 and takes 7–14 days. Against the value of a flat purchase, that’s cheap insurance.

For further reading on Bangladesh’s land administration framework, the Ministry of Land’s own documentation is available at minland.gov.bd.

What GLG Assets provides to every buyer

At GLG Assets, all land records and RAJUK approvals for our Uttara projects are maintained and available for buyer review at any stage of the purchase process. We provide certified copies of the dalil, khatian, mutation certificate, khajna receipt, and RAJUK approval as a standard part of our documentation package — before any agreement is signed.

If you want to understand the registration costs involved after purchase, our flat registration fee calculator for Bangladesh gives you an accurate breakdown by property value and location. And if you’re still evaluating which area to buy in, our Uttara project location guide covers what makes Uttara one of the most in-demand addresses in Dhaka right now.

For questions about any specific project’s land documentation, contact our team directly.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I check land records online for free in Bangladesh?
Yes. The portals at land.gov.bd, dlrs.gov.bd, and wplrs.rajuk.gov.bd are all free to access. You don’t need to register to run a basic khatian or plot owner search.

Q: What is the difference between a khatian and a dalil?
The khatian is the government’s record of who owns a plot — it’s updated through the mutation process. The dalil is the registered deed of sale or transfer between private parties. Both need to be consistent: the dalil documents the transaction, the khatian confirms the government recognised it.

Q: If I buy a flat, do I need my own khatian?
When you buy a flat in an apartment building, you typically own a proportional share of the land (as a co-owner), not an individual plot. The developer’s khatian covers the entire land parcel. Your ownership is recorded in the deed of sale and the co-ownership agreement. You should still verify the developer’s khatian before purchase — see the steps above.

Q: What does mutation not complete mean for a flat buyer?
It means the land is still legally recorded under the previous owner’s name in the government’s revenue records. The developer may have paid for the land and hold a registered deed, but until mutation is done, the government doesn’t recognise them as the owner in the revenue system. This creates risk: if the previous owner has debt, disputes, or government claims against the land, those can follow the property. Always confirm mutation is complete before signing.

Q: How long does the mutation process take in Bangladesh?
Online mutation applications through land.gov.bd typically take 30–45 days if the documents are in order. Physical applications at the AC (Land) office can take longer depending on the upazila’s workload. For a developer handling a large parcel, mutation may have been completed years before the project started — it’s worth asking when it was done.

Q: Is RAJUK WPLRS available for areas outside Dhaka?
No. RAJUK’s jurisdiction covers the greater Dhaka metropolitan area. For projects in Chittagong, Rajshahi, or other cities, the equivalent authority (CDA, RDA, etc.) may have their own systems — though most are less developed than RAJUK’s WPLRS at this stage.

GLG Assets Ltd is a residential real estate developer based in Gulshan-1, Dhaka. Our active projects are located in Uttara. For project documentation, site visits, or purchase enquiries, contact our sales team.