The deed writers in Sreepur upazila of the district are at loggerheads with the sub-registrar over the latter’s excessive demand for bribe for deed registration.
The stamp vendors and the writers alleged that Sub-register Zaminul Haq had been demanding more than Tk300 he extracted as commission on every registration of deed valued at Tk100,000.
They also alleged that the sub-registrar was pressing them for more money for documentation ahead of the Eid besides the government-fixed charges for land regisration.
The undue demand led to a face-off between the two sides while the sub-registrar Zaminul faced confinement on July 22 by the deed writers.
Sources said the sub-registrar associate Faruk Ahmed collected the bribe from the deed writers.
If the extra was not paid, a lot of pitfalls were discovered in the deed writing and when paid, all those were ignored, said the members of Deed Writers’ Association.
They also alleged that the sub-registrar had to be bribed Tk10,000 for out-of-office deed registration and the bribe amount was hiked if the registarion took place in the capital.
It was a open secret in Sreepur sub-registry office, the stamp vendors and deed writers pointed out, adding that earlier all of them including land buyers and sellers were held hostage to the whim of sub-registrar.
They kept mum in fear of the sub-registrar’s threat that their writing licence would be null and void if they protested, alleged the association members. Sub-registrar Zaminul Haq used to allegedly defy the rule of self-presence when registering deed outside workstation, they said.
They also revealed that in most cases Zaminul sent his personal secretary Faruk Ahmed to do the job for him.
Besides Faruk, Tajuddin, Oazuddin, Alamgir and other office bearers were also engaged in collecting thumb impressions of both land buyers and sellers who failed to put their own signatures. Witnesses said on July 22 the sub-registrar demanded a bribe of Tk100,000 for deed regirstration from the assocation president, Shahjahan Mondal.
They added that Sub-registrar Zamimul used to press the deed writers to pay him Tk7,000 for per deed registration. At one stage of the day, the writers lost their patience and they all flew into a rage.
The sub-registrar was assaulted and kept confined to a room.
Zaminul’s associate Faruk Ahmed was also given a sound beating.
Faruk filed a case against the association secretary, Shahjahan Mondal, and some association members.
Shahjahan also filed a complaint against Faruk and his associates with the police staiton. Officer-in-Charge of Sreepur police station Mohsinul Kadir said on information they sent police to the regisry office to bring the situation under control.
Contacted, Sub-registrar Zaminul declined to take bribe and the assult on him. He also described the allegations against him “baseless”. Asked why tension is running high in the registry office, he refused to comment. Sreepur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sadekur Rahman said he would see to it.
