Bangladesh
National Parliament Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Bill, 2023 passed in JS
Dhaka, Sept 13: The 'Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Bill-2023' has been passed with provision of maximum seven years imprisonment and fine for keeping other's land in one's possession, making fake or false documents and transferring documents mentioning any part of land outside of one's own ownership.
When Lands Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury proposed the bill in the National Parliament session on Tuesday, it was passed by voice vote. Apart from this, another bill has been passed in the parliament keeping the provision of maximum 60 bigha agricultural land ownership.
According to the bill, transfer of land, promotion of another's land in one's own name while updating survey and records, transfer of whole or part of land to a particular person by concealment of information, transfer of land by concealing the identity of a person and signing any document containing false information shall be punishable with a maximum of seven years. Imprisonment and fine.
Besides, after the execution of a document, any part of the document is fraudulently cut or altered without lawful authority and shall be punished with imprisonment for a maximum of seven years and fine. The punishment for preparing any false document in whole or in part shall also be the same. Fraudulently forcing any person to sign or alter any document shall also suffer the same punishment.
The Bill further states that no person shall be in possession of the land unless he is entitled to any ownership or possession by the last khatian owner or his heirs or by a legally executed deed of transfer and possession or by court order. Illegal possession will be punishable with imprisonment for a maximum of two years and fine.
The Bill states that if a person does not have a valid latest certificate issued or updated under the State Acquisition and Tenancy Act and fails to show proof of payment of the certificate and up-to-date land development tax, he shall sell, gift or bequeath or otherwise transfer the land, execute power of attorney. or cannot register the document. Any person cutting the topsoil of cultivable land without the permission of the District Commissioner shall be punished with imprisonment for a maximum of two years and with fine. Under the new law, aiding and abetting the commission of an offense shall be punishable with the same punishment as the original offender.
