Panic in Gaibandha as sub-registrar’s office moves to destroy decades-old unclaimed land deeds

The Gobindaganj sub-registrar's office in Gaibandha has announced plans to destroy unclaimed original land deeds dating back up to 30 years, triggering alarm among landowners, deed writers, and stamp vendors struggling to retrieve their documents before the October 16 deadline.

A notice signed by Sub-Registrar Md Solaiman Ali on September 15 said that "unclaimed original deeds registered in this office from January 1, 1995, to December 31, 2019, will be destroyed on October 16, 2025."

The notice urged all concerned to "retrieve their original deeds by October 15 by submitting the original receipt and fees as per Section 52".

When visited on Monday, the sub-registrar's office was crowded with landowners, many of whom said they were unable to collect their deeds within the one-month notice period. Some said they were sent back for lacking receipts.

Abu Taher, a farmer from Raybhangi village in Shakhahar union, said he came to collect two deeds registered in 1998 but was told to file a general diary or police complaint as he had lost the receipts.

"If I am not able to collect deeds from here, it will cost me around Tk 1,700 to Tk 2,000 to get a certified copy of each deed from the district registrar's Office. There is also the hassle of travelling to and from Gaibandha," he said.

Another landowner Tafazzal Hossain of Rakhal Buruj union, said he could not claim his deed as the deed writer who handled it had passed away years ago.

Several deed writers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the short notice had caused confusion and pressure. Some also alleged being charged more than the official Tk 40 annual store fee for deeds.

One deed writer said, "I have not been able to find 13 deeds, even with their receipts, over the last few days. The land was registered, but the authorities cannot locate the deeds in the store room."

Repeated attempts to reach Sub-Registrar Solaiman by phone and WhatsApp went unanswered, and he was not found at his office during a visit between 12:20pm and 1:00pm on Monday.

Gaibandha District Registrar Zahurul Islam told The Daily Star, "In accordance with government regulations, the unclaimed original land deeds stored in the sub-registrar's offices of about six upazilas in Gaibandha district will be destroyed in phases. There has been a directive in this regard since 2022."

Explaining the process, he said, "Generally, the original deeds registered with "Balam Boi" (register book) are preserved for two years. Landowners are asked to collect the deeds within this period. If a deed is not collected within the stipulated time, it goes into the list of deeds for destruction."

Regarding those without receipts, he added, "They have to file a general diary (GD) with the police station. They can collect the deed with a copy of the GD. Those who can't collect the deed within this time can obtain a duplicate or an extract copy from the district registrar's office with fees."

"The original deed plays a crucial role in proving land ownership in any legal case or dispute," Zahurul said.

He added that he had instructed sub-registrars to make public announcements across upazilas to inform the public and had reminded the Gobindaganj sub-registrar of this directive.