The New Nation - Internet Edition

Raihan Uddin Sarker, Gouripur

Irregularities and corruption have been alleged in the sub-registry office in Gouripur upazila of Mymensingh district inspite of being state of emergency in our country.

Md Matiur Rahman Khan, ex BNCC cadet sergeant of Gouripur Govt college and owner of computer composing center, son of Deowan Ali Khan as well as some conscious citizens made a statement to the press against Alhaj Makbul Hossain, Subregistrar and FM Mahfuz-ur Rahman head clerk of the office in this upazila.

FM Mahfuz-ur Rahman clerk in the said office has allegedly been realizing illegal gratification from the recipients of the deed and land sellers via deed writers at the time of submitting deeds.

The deed writers are Panic stricken to tell anything to the reporters as the sub-registrar has power to cancel their appointments.

It is alleged that Mahfuz maltreated with the deed winters who do not agree to give illegal gratification 'Saresta bill'. "It is very difficult to find out promissory note of extra money which are not given to the deed writers land sellers and buyers but every deed writer knows a secret chart of extra money which has been given from the office" said Mati-ur-Rhaman Khan.

He added that he could show documentary evidence about these allegations. Referring to the statement, there are many allegations of irregularities, bribery and corruption against Alhaj Makbul Hossein, sub-registrar of Grouripur upazila and FM Mahfuzur Rahman, employee of the same office.

Some documentary evidence about seresta, under value money and ROR as speedy document registration has been mentioned here to show. In a chart, piece of land worth taka from 1,000 to 3,000 demands its seresta bill (illegal gratification) taka 480. Thus land worth taka 3001 taka 5,000 demands its Seresta bill taka 625; land worth taka 5,001-10,000 demands its seresta bill taka 725; land worth taka 10,001 taka 15,001taka 20,000 demands its seresta bill taka 1,025; land worth taka 20,001 taka 30,000 demands its seresta bill taka 1,045; land worth taka 30,001 taka 50,000 demands its seresta bill taka 1, 180; land worth taka 50,001 taka 80,000 demands its seresta bill taka 1, 375 and land wroth taka 80,000 taka 100,000 demands its Seresta bill (extra evil money) taka 1, 385. Besides, land worth taka over 100,000 has special Seresta bill. The sub-regisrar makes the head clerk, FM Mahfuzur Rahman who receives one hundred taka for each katha of land (ten hundred parts of land), which is called under value money (evil money) and also five hundred taka for ROR as speed money without submitting "Kharij paper" during registration of documents at the office.

Some negative aspects came to light during a visit to sub-registry office about the system of registration of documents. When asked about bill system such as Seresta bill, under value bill, ROR bill, FM Mahfizur Rahman, employee of the office, told the correspondent they never accepted Seresta; under value; ROR etc as illegal gratification and never distributed paper bills in these purposes.

Sany Chowdhury Bablu, son of Abdul Latif, MH Shahid Munshi, son of Abdul Khalek Munshi, ex-chairman of Gouripur, Pourashava and some local people always noticed and expressed their opinion that the sub-registrar usually comes to office after 12 from and FM Mahfuzur Rahman, head clerk of the office usually comes after 11 AM. After Johr prayer, the registration begins in three days of a week.

When asked about the time frame of the office, the head clerk replied that buyers and sellers usually do not come before 12 noon. Besides, as their residences are in Mymensingh town, the reach the office evisiting District Registration office of Mymensingh, and so, they are late in the office.

When asked an outside deed writer named Md Nurul Islam of Batandar village he hardly expressed about the Seresta bill but at last he admitted they accept only taka 300 to 500 as Seresta for making the payment of Mahara employees, who are non-government ones. But one of the Mahara employment told the correspondent their payment comes from the government fund according to their work and not from the Sererta fund.

Another deed writer name Md Majibur Rahman (Santu Mia) told the correspondent, "Some beneficiaries as well as some influential deed writers get some money from the Seresta fund so that none can stand against the irregularities and corruption of the office. He also said that most of the deed writers can register five or six documents in a Smonth. Unless they get at least 2,000 taka from each registration of documents they will face difficult to maintain their families. Due to fixed Seresta money they can not earn as their target. He further added "A sub-registrar has enough power to find out faults of any document while adducing proofs. So deed writers do not want to protest against his wish as well as his power.

Pointing to the irregularities and corruption in sub-registrar-offices in Bangladesh, which are claimed, a talk show on "Reforms of bill system and registration of documents" was jointly arranged by ACECC Association and ACECC English Language club. Our country can achieve a remarkable progress in checking the office frequently by multi-groups. The government can reduce irregularities, bribery and corruption by reforming the office system. The sub-registrars must stay in their respective work areas and their evil income must stopped. Locals demand effective measures must be taken against those who are involved in deed irregularities, bribery, corruption etc in registration in any office.