Saif urges land officials to continue providing hassle-free services

Land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury urged the land officials on Wednesday to continue providing hassle-free services to the people.

He gave the directive at a video press conference from his Bangladesh Secretariat office on the occasion of the land ministry's achieving the prestigious United Nations (UN) award for providing services to the clients.

"Our responsibility has increased following our receiving the UN award. We must make efforts to retain this achievement," he said.

The MoL achieved the 'UN Public Service Award 2020' for its e-land mutation services.

The ministry received the award in the 'Developing Transparent and Accountable Public Institutions' category.

He termed the award as 'a pride for the nation' under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT affairs adviser Sajib Wajed Joy.

He thanked the officials of the ministries, especially ICT division and public administration ministry for their efforts in achieving the award.

UN Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin in a letter informed the matter to Bangladesh permanent representative to the UN Rabab Fatima.

The ministry of foreign affairs later conveyed the matter to MoL.

The MoL started e-land mutation services from July last year.

At present 485 upazila and circle offices and 3,617 union land offices have been providing e-land mutation services across the country, except three hill districts.

A total of 14,72,588 applications out of 15,58,770 for e-land mutation were disposed off until May 2019-20 fiscal year.

The MoL from March 17, marking the Mujib 100, had directed the land officials not to accept manual applications for land mutation.

The ministry took the move to reduce harassment of people, specially by the middlemen, for ensuring smooth and hassle-free e-land mutation services to the people.

The new process takes only 28 working days for disposal of an application.

Due to the introduction of the services, people are now getting land services at their doorsteps.

State minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and secretaries of the ministries of land, public administration and ICT division participated in the video conference.