Union land office services unavailable without money

Jillur Rahman Russell, Faridpur

The Azimnagar Union Land Office in Bhanga Upazila of the district is like an online-offline center for bribery. No service is available without money. If anybody doesn’t pay, he or she has to go around day after day. At the center of the complaint is the land office’s peon Miraj, who is locally known as ‘Peon Miraj’.

Peon Miraj demands a certain amount of money for every task, whether it is filing rent, mutation or lifting a paper. Villagers say that he even throws away the papers if anybody doesn’t pay. Union Land Assistant Officer Aklima Begum helps him in these tasks.

Ataur Rahman Khan of Azimnagar Village said, “I had to pay Tk 13,000 for mutation when selling land to send my son abroad. I really needed the money, so I gave it. Without money, no work is done in this land office. There is also harassment. Peon Miraj and Tehsildar Aklima work together.”

A local village doctor complained that for any work in this land office, Peon Miraj has to be present, otherwise the work will not be done.

Several people who did not want to be named said that Peon Miraj had previously raised his hand against a Tehsildar. There were frequent arguments between the Tehsildar and Peon Miraj over the sharing of money. Miraj had been dismissed once before for these reasons and was also transferred from here to another office. After a few days, he returned to this office again. “We have also filed a complaint against Miraj at the DC office.”

Union Land Assistant Officer Aklima Begum and Peon Miraj did not agree to comment on this matter.

Azimnagar UP former member Ataur Rahman Chhabbar said, “We, the locals, are appealing to the DC to transfer them.”

Bhanga Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mizanur Rahman said, “I will call them. Knowing the details I will try to bring them under control.”