Land Law Bangladesh: Your Complete Guide to Property Rights & Disputes

Bangladesh operates a khatian-based land records system inherited from the colonial era. Ownership is established through a chain of three elements:

1. Registered deed — executed at the Sub-Registrar's office under the Registration Act 1908
2. Khatian — the government land revenue record showing your name as owner
3. Mutation (namjari) — the process of updating the khatian in your name after acquisition

A registered deed without mutation is legally valid but practically incomplete. A khatian without a registered deed is not sufficient to prove ownership in most cases. You need both, and you need them to be consistent with each other. Consult a land lawyer in Dhaka to verify your full chain of title.

Bangladesh land records come from three government survey periods. Understanding them is essential for any land transaction:

• CS (Cadastral Survey, 1888–1940): The original colonial-era record. CS khatian is the historical root of title — courts often go back to CS to trace the ownership chain.
• SA (State Acquisition Survey, 1956–1963): Created after land reform (Zamindari abolition). Most land was transferred to occupants at this stage.
• RS (Revisional Survey, 1960s–ongoing): The most current record. RS khatian is given the most weight in modern courts and government offices.

The RS khatian is your most important document, but all three may be needed to trace a complete chain of title — especially in inheritance or title dispute cases.

Before purchasing any land in Bangladesh, verify these items independently:

• CS/SA/RS khatian consistency: The seller's name must appear in the latest khatian. Verify the chain from CS → SA → RS.
• No mortgage or encumbrance: Check the Sub-Registrar's office for any registered mortgage, lien, or lis pendens (pending court case) on the property.
• No mutation dispute: Verify no rival claims or objections have been filed at the Land Office (AC Land).
• Identity verification: Confirm the seller's NID matches the name in the khatian and deed.
• Physical inspection: Visit and measure the land. Confirm boundaries match the porcha (land plot information sheet).
• Revenue dues (khajna): Confirm no outstanding land revenue is owed to the government.

For high-value purchases, always hire a property lawyer in Dhaka to conduct a title search before paying any advance.

All land transactions must be registered at the office of the Sub-Registrar in the area where the land is located. Unregistered transfers of immovable property are void against third parties.

Registration process:

1. Execute the deed of transfer (sale deed, gift deed, etc.) drafted by a lawyer
2. Both buyer and seller appear at the Sub-Registrar's office
3. Pay stamp duty and registration fees (calculated on deed value)
4. Submit all supporting documents (khatian copy, NID, porcha, khajna receipt)
5. The Sub-Registrar registers the deed and returns a certified copy

Fees (approximate):

• Stamp duty: approximately 3% of the declared deed value
• Registration fee: approximately 1–2% of the declared deed value
• Local government tax (LGT): approximately 2% of the declared deed value
• Total: approximately 6–8% of the declared value

After registration, proceed immediately to land mutation (namjari) at the Union Land Office.

Mutation is the process of updating the government khatian in your name after acquiring land. Without mutation:

• Your name does not appear in government records as owner
• You cannot pay land revenue (khajna) in your own name
• Banks will not accept the land as mortgage collateral
• Courts give less weight to your ownership claim

The mutation application is filed at the Union Land Office / AC Land office with your registered deed, khatian copy, NID, and khajna receipt. The process takes 2–6 months and costs ৳500–৳2,000 in government fees. For the complete step-by-step guide, see our article on land mutation (namjari) in Bangladesh.

When a landowner dies, the land passes to their heirs according to:

• Muslim personal law (Hanafi school): For most Bangladeshis — specific shares for sons, daughters, spouse, parents
• Hindu succession law: For Hindu Bangladeshis
• Succession Act 1925: For Christians and certain others

After the owner's death, heirs must complete an inheritance mutation — they apply jointly at the Land Office, submitting the deceased owner's death certificate and a court-issued legal heirship certificate. Without inheritance mutation, heirs cannot independently deal with the land (sell, mortgage, or use as collateral).

Disputes between co-heirs over inheritance shares are resolved through a partition suit in Civil Court. For detailed guidance, see our guide on inheritance law in Bangladesh.

1. Title Dispute (Swattwo Mamla)
When two parties both claim ownership. File a title declaration suit in Civil Court. The party with the stronger chain of title — better khatian record + registered deed + possession — typically wins. Engage a land dispute lawyer immediately upon notification of a rival claim.

2. Fraudulent Mutation
If someone has fraudulently mutated your land in their name: (a) file for cancellation of mutation with the AC Land office, (b) file a criminal complaint for forgery, and (c) consider a writ petition to the High Court for an emergency stay order.

3. Partition Dispute
When co-owners (usually co-heirs) cannot agree on division of jointly owned land, file a partition suit in Civil Court. The court may order physical partition or sale and equal division of proceeds.

4. Illegal Dispossession (Beadakhali)
If someone is physically occupying your land without authority: (a) file a GD with police, (b) apply for an injunction/stay order from Civil Court, and (c) file a title/possession suit. Time is critical — courts favour the party in actual possession.

In Bangladesh courts, actual physical possession of land combined with a registered deed is the strongest possible combination. Courts have consistently held that a person in peaceful possession cannot be arbitrarily dispossessed even by a person claiming better title.

If someone is attempting to dispossess you:

1. Call police immediately and file a GD (General Diary) or FIR if violence is used
2. Apply for an injunction (stay order) from Civil Court — this preserves the status quo
3. File a title and possession suit to establish your legal ownership

Do not abandon possession voluntarily even during litigation. Physical possession combined with a registered deed is extremely difficult for any opponent to overcome in Bangladesh courts.

You should contact a property lawyer in Dhaka immediately if:

• You are buying land above ৳10 lakh — a title search is essential
• You notice someone else's name in the khatian for your land
• A rival claimant has appeared or filed a case
• Your mutation application has been refused or is stalled
• You are a co-heir and other heirs are not cooperating on partition
• You have received a court notice or summons related to land
• You want to mortgage land but the bank is raising title questions

Land law in Bangladesh is complex and highly fact-specific. An early consultation saves far more than it costs.

A registered deed is strong proof but must be corroborated by the khatian (land record) and supported by mutation. All three together constitute the strongest case of ownership. A deed alone, without khatian support, can be challenged.

No. Under the Transfer of Property Act, transfers of immovable property must be in writing and registered at the Sub-Registrar's office. Oral transfers are void against third parties.

A baina (advance payment for land purchase) creates a contractual right but does not transfer ownership. A registered sale deed is still required. If the seller backs out unjustifiably, you can sue for specific performance of the deed.

File for an injunction in Civil Court immediately. Also file a complaint with the Sub-Registrar's office to flag the property and consider a writ petition in the High Court for an emergency stay order preventing registration of any fraudulent deed.

A porcha is an information sheet about your land plot showing the dag (plot) number, area, RS khatian reference, and owner details. It is needed for mutation and registration. Obtain it from the AC Land office or the land records portal (land.gov.bd).

Yes. NRBs can purchase land in Bangladesh. They typically use a Power of Attorney (POA) authorising a trusted local representative to complete the registration. The POA must itself be registered to be legally effective.

A title suit (declaration suit) asks the court to declare who owns the land. A partition suit asks the court to divide jointly owned land among co-owners. Both are filed in Civil Court, but they address different problems.

Land cases at the district Civil Court level typically take 3–7 years, depending on the complexity and backlog. Appeals can extend this further. Interim orders (injunctions, stay orders) can be obtained much faster — often within weeks.