Registering land ownership is often harder than purchasing a piece of land in Bangladesh. If you are going to purchase land for the first time without knowing the proper information, it may be a hilarious experience for you.

In today’s article, I will explain the land registration process and required documents in Bangladesh. If you go through the article attentively, I hope you will get an idea about what it is about.

Understanding the Land Registration Process in Bangladesh

Before moving towards the registration process, you have to know some basic stuff. Understanding the land registration process, and how it actually works, is very important. Please ensure the following things before intending to create a deed:

Research and Title Verification

None can sell or donate the things that they don’t own. And the buyer doesn’t get any title from the seller, who doesn’t own them. So, before purchasing anything, it is very important to verify the ownership.

In Bangladesh, you may fall victim to scams while purchasing land for the first time. Before making any agreement, collect necessary documents (e.g., khatiyan, land development tax receipt, seller’s NID, haat naksha, mouja map, etc.) from the seller by which you can verify the ownership of the land.

After collecting these documents, you may consult with a lawyer to verify the information. You also have to contact an AMIN (land surveyor) to check the area of the land. If everything seems correct, you may move toward the registration process. I remind you, this step is very IMPORTANT!

Preparation of Required Documents

The next step is to prepare all documents required to register the land ownership properly. Depending on the type of deeds and land ownership, required documents may vary. If you purchase land from the buyer, you have to make a saf-kabala deed requiring the following documents:

• NID of both seller and buyer
• Passport-size photographs of seller and buyer
• CS/SA/RS/BS/BRS Khatiyan
• Land Development Tax Receipt (paid up to the current year)
• Waris Certificate (if inherited land)
• Bia Deeds (if required)
• E-TIN (land valued more than 1 lakh in City Corporation, Cantonment Board, or Pourashava area)
• Stamp Duty Payment Receipt

Calculation of Stamp Duty and Registration Fees

The cost of safe-kabala deeds (property purchase deeds) may vary depending on the area in Bangladesh. Here is a breakdown of the calculation of stamp duty.

• Registration Fee: 1% on the deed value (If the deed value is less than 24000, pay in cash. If it is more than 24000, deposit at Sonali Bank.)
• Stamp Duty: 1.5% on the deed value and up to 2 crore BDT (you are allowed to use a maximum 1200 BDT non-judicial stamps for the deed)
• Local Govt. Tax: 2% on the deed value for the city corporation and cantonment areas and 3% for other areas
• Income Tax: 6% for Sadar Pourashava areas, 4% for other Pourashava areas, and 6% for Dhaka (except RAJUK), Gazipur, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Narshindi, Chattagram (except CDA), cantonment board, and any city corporation without DNCC, DSCC. 2% is charged for any other areas.
• VAT: A 2% value-added tax will be applicable on the deed value only if the land transfer is with any Land Development Company.

Initiating the Property Registration Process

If you have the basic concept of land registration and verified the legal ownership, you may initiate the property registration process.

1. Visit the Sub-registrar’s Office: To initiate the registration process, you have to visit the sub-registrar’s office of the locality where the land is located. Both the seller and the buyer must be present here.
2. Registration Fees and Stamp Duty Payment: Before submitting an application to the sub-registrar, make sure that all necessary fees and duties are paid through the proper channel.
3. Filing of Application and Documents: Once all the required documents are ready, you will need to file an application including the documents.
4. Document Verification and Execution: After getting the application, the sub-registrar will verify the submitted documents to ensure their accuracy and authenticity.
5. Witnessing and Attesting: During land registration, at least two witnesses must be present, and their NID must be submitted to the sub-registrar.
6. Documents Stamping: Once the documents are verified, they will be stamped to indicate that the required stamp duty is paid.
7. Document Scanning and Data Entry: Officials will scan the submitted documents and enter them into the public record book. This step confirms that the registration has been successfully made and formally recognized.
8. Document Collection: When the sub-registrar confirms the registration, a token containing the Dalil Number will be provided. Within a few days, a certified copy will be given to the buyer, which he can use as the original Dalil.
9. Registration Certificate Issuance: The original registration certificate or original dalil is normally get ready within a few months. Depending on the sub-registrar office, it may take 4 months to 2 years. You can collect it from the sub-registrar’s office showing the token.

This is the entire process of land ownership registration. Here, I tried to represent in short, so that you don’t be confused.

Conclusion

From title verification to document registration, there are several steps in the land registration process & required documents in Bangladesh. Having an understanding of every step of the procedure provides a seamless transaction and gives your property rights legal safeguards.

The procedure will go more quickly and smoothly if the essential documentation is ready in advance and all necessary payments are made on time.