Land mutation goes fully cashless

Through cashless e-mutation, the land ministry has finally brought digital payment system to the mutation process in land management system across the country.

From now on no cash transaction would be allowed for registration process for mutation, or change of a property’s title ownership in the khatiyan (record of rights), according to a gazette notification issued by the land ministry on October 1.

During a meeting on land management of Dhaka Division in 2019, land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury informed the media that they are trying to ensure digital payment gateway for land related government service transactions. Once it is implemented, it would ensure a transparent and hassle free government services.

Later in May 2021, the land ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with payment gateway channel service providers Upay, Nagad and Bkash, and banking services providers United Commercial Bank (UCB) in this regard.

Consequently, in November 2021, the government issued a circular instructing to accept mutation fees online. According to the circular, Tk 20 e-mutation court fee and Tk 50 notice issuance fee have to be paid online first.

If the court accepts the application, a record correction fee or the provision of the mutation ledger fee of Tk 1,000 and Tk 100 for providing a copy of mutation ledger collection fee have to be paid online. It means for the whole process a service seeker would have to pay Tk 1,170 in total.

In March 2022, the ministry issued another circular where online payment of Tk 20 court fee and Tk 50 notice issuance fee made indispensable.

And finally, through the new gazette on October 1, payment of record correction fee of Tk 1,000 and Tk 100 for providing a copy of mutation ledger collection fee was made online.

Government officials said along with ensuring transparency, this initiative of introducing cashless e-mutation will remove the hassle and hardships faced by applicants at land offices.

In general, mentionable, the whole mutation process takes some 28 days to complete.