Monirampur Sub-Registry Office Operates in Dilapidated Former Court Lockup, Land Records Left Unprotected

The Sub-Registry Office in Monirampur, Jashore, is operating in a dilapidated lockup building of an abandoned judge court constructed in the 1980s. Important land documents, record books and other files are lying unprotected in the risky building. Even light rain causes water to leak through the roof, soaking the records. Office staff have been forced to cover important documents with polythene sheets to protect them from damage.

Local sources said that after the Upazila Parishad Ordinance was issued on November 7, 1982, the Public Works Department built the necessary infrastructure for the operation of civil and magistrate courts at the upazila level. The facilities included judges’ rooms, courtrooms and a lockup.

In 1991, court operations were moved to the district headquarters, leaving the building neglected for years. Weeds grew on the roof and inside several rooms, while the surrounding area became covered with waste and rubbish.

Meanwhile, the Monirampur Sub-Registry Office had long operated in a rented building. After part of that building collapsed in 1994, the authorities cleaned several rooms in the abandoned former judge court building on the Upazila Parishad premises and moved the office there as a temporary measure.

However, the building has not undergone the necessary renovation or repairs in the years since, according to relevant sources. Sources said the Sub-Registry Office building was declared abandoned in 2020 after being deemed unsafe. Despite the decision, office operations continue there because no alternative premises have been arranged.

Administrative and legal complications involving the relevant government departments have reportedly delayed the process. The Sub-Registry Office falls under the Ministry of Law, while the buildings on the Upazila Parishad premises are under the Ministry of Public Administration, making the allocation of alternative premises complicated.

As a result, people visiting the office daily for land registration services must enter the unsafe building. At the same time, important deeds and record books cannot be properly preserved. Staff have had to rely on temporary measures, including covering documents with polythene to protect them from rainwater.

If the situation continues, the records may deteriorate, making it difficult to retrieve essential documents in the future. Concerned parties say a safe building must be constructed for the Monirampur Sub-Registry Office as soon as possible. Immediate measures are also needed to protect the existing records.

Monirampur Sub-Registrar Ripon Munshi said, “Several times, the relevant higher authorities have been informed about arranging an office building of our own. But no visible initiative has been taken yet. We are compelled to continue operations in a building declared abandoned and unsafe. As a result, important land-related documents remain unprotected.”

Jashore Public Works Department Executive Engineer Zahidul Islam said a project was taken in 2020 to construct an integrated office building on the site of the existing buildings. However, the project was not implemented. He added that the current government has taken a fresh initiative in this regard.