Most land disputes in Bangladesh do not start with a missing document. They start with documents that exist but do not agree with each other — a name spelled differently on the khatian, an area that shrinks between surveys, a dag number that points to a different plot on the mouza map. A good pre-purchase review is less about collecting paper and more about checking that every piece tells the same story.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Before paying, have the documents reviewed by a qualified advocate, and check current requirements on the official land systems.
1. Know who is selling — and whether they can sell
- NID or passport of every seller and every person who will sign the deed.
- Power of attorney (আমমোক্তারনামা) if someone is signing on the owner’s behalf. It should be registered and still in force, and it should actually cover sale.
- Inheritance documents for inherited land: the heirship certificate (ওয়ারিশ সনদ) and, where the heirs have divided the land, the partition deed (বণ্টননামা). Every heir with a share must be accounted for; one missing signature can surface years later.
2. Trace ownership through the deeds
- The current deed (দলিল) under which the seller holds the land.
- The chain of previous deeds (বায়া দলিল) back through earlier transfers. Each deed should hand the land from the person named in the previous one.
- Check that the area, dag numbers and boundaries described in the deeds are consistent through the chain.
3. Compare the survey records
The record of rights — the khatian (খতিয়ান) — has been prepared in successive surveys: CS, SA, RS and BS (or city survey in some areas). Ask for the khatians that cover the plot.
- Do the owners named in the latest khatian match the deed chain?
- Do the dag number and area stay consistent from survey to survey, or are there unexplained jumps?
- The mouza map should show the dag where the seller says it is.
Khatians and mouza maps can be checked through the Digital Land Record Management System.
4. Confirm the record is in the seller’s name
- Mutation (নামজারি) updates the khatian into the current owner’s name after a transfer or inheritance. Ask for the mutation khatian and the DCR. Mutation applications are made through the official e-Mutation system.
- Land development tax (ভূমি উন্নয়ন কর) receipts should be up to date and in the owner’s name. Tax status can be checked on the official land development tax portal.
Missing or outdated mutation is common and not automatically fatal — but it is something to resolve before, not after, you pay.
5. Look for what is not on paper
- Encumbrances: mortgages, earlier agreements for sale, court cases or acquisition notices.
- Physical possession: who actually occupies or uses the land today?
- Boundaries: does the fenced or occupied area match the recorded area and map position? A surveyor’s measurement settles this.
6. Check what you can build
If you intend to build, check land use and approval requirements with the relevant authority — in Dhaka, RAJUK. Land that is cheap because it cannot be developed for your intended use is not a bargain.
The order of operations
- Collect copies — never originals — of the documents above.
- Build an index and check them against each other.
- Check the official systems and note the date of each check.
- Visit the site, measure if needed, and compare with the record.
- Have an advocate give a title opinion before you pay a deposit.
If you would like us to do this for you, request a property verification — every finding in our report is linked to its evidence, with limitations stated clearly.
