After repeated pleas of the people made year after year, the authorities have initiated to refurbish the image of upazila land offices across the country. To ensure accountability to service seekers, the land ministry would make most of the postings of upazila assistant commissioner of land from now on, said officials.
Under the enigmatic leadership of its minister, the land ministry is implementing a number of new initiatives, bringing changes to some long-time practices. “Moreover, the land ministry would send letters to the public administration ministry seeking immediate withdrawal of particular AC (land) official whenever allegation of corruption or harassment of public is raised, said top sources from the land ministry, adding the ministry, in addition, is going to introduce special app services to directly receive complaints from the people.
Sources said land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury himself is monitoring the overall procedure. Under his supervision, a team of land ministry is monitoring the activities of more than 400 AC (land) officials across the country. Earlier, the responsibility of making appointments to AC (land) posts was handed over the land ministry from public administration ministry. The land ministry then handed over duty the office of divisional commissioner.
In this regard, a senior official of the land ministry, on anonymity, told the Bangladesh Post: “The ministry would no more be used as the rubber stamp in appointments and postings of AC (land). From now on, the ministry itself would directly make the postings to places where allegation of corruption and mismanagement has been proved after investigation.”
“The job of posting the newly recruited officials would no more be done by the divisional commissioner’s office. Moreover, if needed, the ministry will transfer a certain AC (land) official from one place to another,” the official said, adding, if necessary, the land ministry would write to the public administration ministry requesting withdrawal of controversial officials against whom corruption allegation has been proved through departmental investigation.
Considering the gravity of public interest, the land minister himself is monitoring the overall procedure, said the official. He said, “Evaluating the complaints received from the service seekers at AC (land) offices, the minster came to the decision that there is no alternative to appointment of honest, eligible, expert and people-oriented officials to the post of AC (land). Considering the aspects, the ministry has started making direct postings of AC (land).
Sources said the role of the office of AC (land), beside the union tafsil office, is very important in proving land-related public service to the people. But the condition of land offices across the country has been deeply condemned by all sections of society since long. It has been alleged for years that almost all the service seekers are harassed at the office. After repeated urgings of people, the ministry has now become active to refurbish the image of upazila land offices.
