Land Services Lag: State Minister Orders Accountability After Surprise Visit to Savar Land Office
Amid the government’s ongoing efforts to make digital land services more effective, transparent, and citizen-friendly, State Minister for Land Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin has expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of officials and staff, delays in public service delivery, and administrative mismanagement at the Aminbazar Assistant Commissioner (Land) Office in Savar.
On Monday, June 8, he paid a surprise visit to the Aminbazar Assistant Commissioner (Land) Office, where he reviewed the quality of services, attendance of officials, and the implementation of digital land management activities on-site. During the inspection, he observed various irregularities, negligence in duty, and instances of public suffering.
The State Minister said that merely ensuring timely attendance at the office is not enough; rather, the primary responsibility of the administration is to provide technology-driven and citizen-centric services. He stressed that public inconvenience would not be tolerated and that necessary action would be taken against negligence in service delivery.
During the visit, he spoke with service seekers waiting outside the land office. Citizens complained that they were being forced to visit the office repeatedly to obtain mutation and other land-related services, yet were not receiving the required services on time. Many also alleged that they had been subjected to harassment.
In response to these complaints, the State Minister instructed the concerned officials to take immediate and effective measures. He also directed authorities to review CCTV footage of the office to verify the attendance and performance of officials.
The State Minister expressed dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of the Information Centre-cum-Help Desk. However, he expressed satisfaction after observing that officials of the Record Keeping and Data Entry Unit were performing their duties on time. He also inspected various record rooms and inquired about document preservation and records management practices.
When asked about delays in mutation and other digital services, the concerned officials stated that long-standing server-related problems had been preventing the smooth operation of mutation activities. Treating the issue with utmost importance, the State Minister directed that show-cause notices be issued against those responsible for managing the server infrastructure.
He also instructed authorities to appoint the necessary manpower to make the Information Centre more effective and citizen-friendly. The State Minister further emphasized strengthening technological infrastructure and ensuring accountability to improve the quality of digital land services.
At the conclusion of the visit, Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin said that the government remains committed to ensuring transparency, efficiency, and the optimal use of technology in the land service system. He added that service delivery mechanisms would be made more dynamic and accountable in order to reduce public suffering and save citizens’ valuable time.
//DBTech/RK/MUM/OR//
