By Iftekharul Anupam
 
TANGAIL, Aug 16, 2021 (BSS) – Fifty-five-year-old Abul Kalam Azad, a resident of
Kokdahara Union of Kalihati Upazila here, applied for his land record through Union Digital Center (UDC) online and received the record within only 11 days without any complexity and hassle.
 
“It was astonishing for me that I received the land record by post within only 11 days after applying. I had not to visit the land office in person or spend any penny for this purpose,” he said.
 
Azad, by profession a brick and sand trader, said he paid only the fee of Taka 100 determined by the government for the ‘record (Porcha)’ and added: “But it was very tough to get land services manually. Getting land services without middlemen and bribes were a day dream even before one or two years”.
 
Another digital land service recipient Amir Hossain (48) of Tangail Sadar Upazila has also received his land record within only eight days of submitting the application online.
 
“It used to take more than one month to collect land record and more money had to be spent during manual system. But now, we don’t need to go anywhere, thanks to the ‘Digital Bangladesh’,” he said.
 
The general people are very happy with the digital service that went beyond their imagination, Amir said.  
 
Like Azad and Amir, no citizen of the district has to go to the record room of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) office and wait for long time to submit application collecting land records.
 
Use of the e-mutation system developed by a2i in the district has brought dynamism in land services and made it faster with accuracy.
 
Now, anyone can apply for land records online through UDC or Paurasabha Digital Center (PDC) under the ‘Hater Muthoi Bhumisheba’ programme of the Tangail district administration, which has been lunched in line with the government e-mutation service.
 
After submission of the application and government fee, concerned officials of the land office send the land related documents including record to the service seekers through guaranteed express post (GEO), ensuring hassle-free service along with saving time and money.

 An entrepreneur of Dhupakandi Union Digital Center of Gopalpur upazila Jahangir Alam said sending of land records through the post office is beneficial for the people, but it sometimes takes about 14-15 days.
 
He underscored the need for making the postal activities faster so that the people can enjoy the services in a quicker mood.
 
According to DC office sources, on an average about 85 online applications are submitted on every working day. The land services are being improved due to the digital land service management and the traditional complaints of bribery are about to be eliminated.
 
The sources said, in land management, mutation is an important element while it is defined as the process of updating land record after changing of ownership of any land.
 
On July 1, 2019, the government launched the e-mutation system across the country with an aim of making the land services faster, transparent and simple while the a2i and the Land Ministry and Land Reforms Board are implementing the progamme.
 
Besides, to ensure hassle-free service for issuing Khatiyan (record of rights), the Land Ministry in association with a2i has also launched ‘Digital Record Room’ with the theme ‘Hater Muthoi Bhumi Seba’.
 
Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury inaugurated the ‘Digital Record Room’ on
December 23 last year, which facilitate the country’s people with getting the Khatiyan using mobile apps.
 
Anyone can get the certified copy of his/her land’s Khatiyan staying home by applying and paying fees online through this system, which has changed the 247-year-old system of collecting land development tax.
 
Additional DC (revenue) Shahid Ullah, who is implementing the programme ‘Hater Muthoi Parcha’, said the district administration launched the cent percent e-mutation service in July 2019.
 
Now, all upazila and union land offices are delivering all land related services through this electronic system, he said, adding that this system enables the service seekers to trace the state of their desired services.
 
Noting that activities of collecting land development tax are also being operated online across the district, the ADC said, “The digital land services have reduced the public sufferings, saving time and money, and vanished the vicious circle of middlemen”.
 
Deputy Commissioner Dr Ataul Gani said now online applications for land services are being taken through UDCs as all the rural people are yet to be equipped with modern facilities.
 
But a plan is under consideration to open the online application system for the public so that the service seekers themselves can apply for the services staying at their homes, he added.
 
“The e-mutation is being used in cent percent land office across the district. It has reduced the public sufferings at district, upazila and union land offices,” Dr Gani said, adding the government is, however, working to build a technology based modern land management.
 
“We are spontaneously implementing the initiative of a2i and the Land Ministry at the field level to this end,” he added.