Dhamrai’s Bhararia Union Land Office Remains Shut for Four Years, Leaving Public Without Services

Despite the construction of a modern building for the Bhadaria Union Land Office in Dhamrai, Dhaka, landowners have been unable to receive services there for more than four years. The office remains locked due to a shortage of manpower.

The modern building, equipped with electricity and water facilities, was constructed in the Gazipur area of Ward No. 4 in Bhadaria Union at a cost of around Tk 1.12 crore more than four years ago. However, nearly four years after the inauguration of its operations, residents of the union are still not receiving any land related services from the office.

It is learnt that the building was constructed in the Gazipur area under the Urban and Union Land Office Construction Project, which aims to bring land related services to people’s doorsteps at the union level across the country. Construction of the modern building was completed more than four years ago. Later, on July 25, 2022, then Deputy Commissioner Md Shahidul Islam inaugurated the office’s operations.

At the time, a land sub assistant officer was assigned to the office. The official sat in the new building for seven to eight days and provided land related services to local residents. However, within days, citing various reasons, he stopped working from the new office and began operating from the Dhamrai Sadar Union Land Office, reportedly due to a lack of supervision by the Upazila Nirbahi Officer and the Assistant Commissioner (Land).

As a result, residents of Bhadaria Union have been forced to travel to Dhamrai Sadar to obtain land related services. The office was found locked on the day this report was filed.

Rifaz Uddin, a resident of Gazipur village in Bhadaria Union who lives next to the land office, said a modern land office building with a boundary wall had been constructed on around one and a half bighas of land nearly four years ago.

“After the DC inaugurated the building about two and a half years ago, the land official sat there for seven to eight days. People in the area received some land related services during that time. But no official has come back since then. We are still forced to go to Dhamrai Sadar as before to receive land services,” he said.

He added that thieves had broken the office lock and stolen its generator. Later, an official from the Dhamrai Land Office gave him the key to the lock and asked him to look after the premises. He is currently doing so without any payment.

Asked about the matter, Dhamrai Assistant Commissioner (Land) Fahim Shahriar said manpower had not been arranged for the newly constructed offices, making it impossible to start their operations.

“Discussions are underway with senior officials to make the office operational,” he added.