Cut in land registration fee suggested

Regulatory Reform Commission (RRC) yesterday approved its taskforce's recommendations regarding digitisation of land records and land registration system and suggested that the land registration fees be reduced.

The high-powered government committee on "Modernised Land Management and Registration", formed on February 12 and headed by former adviser to the caretaker government Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, submitted its recommendations to the RRC meeting yesterday.

The RRC meeting approved the recommendations with some additional suggestions. Now the recommendations will be placed before the cabinet committee following the approval of the Chief Adviser's Office.

As the present tax rate is high and it promotes corruption, the RRC members suggested that the taskforce to revise and reduce the land registration tariffs.

The taskforce recommended digitisation of the country's entire land records and turning district administration offices into monitoring bodies from its present role of service provider to ensure transparency and reduce corruption.

The five-member taskforce said a commission should be formed comprising government and non-government experts to spearhead modernisation of records and land registration system.

But the RRC differed from the view put forward by the taskforce about forming a commission. It suggested that a committee be formed comprised of government, non-government and representatives from business communities in digitisation of land records and registration system.