Staff Reporter, Dhaka : Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury has said that the heirs have to ensure the instrument of partition of their inherited assets.

Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury said this while inaugurating a workshop on ‘Land Revenue Case Management: Problems and Remedies’ organized by the Land Appeal Board at the Central Seminar Hall of Bhumi Bhaban in the capital’s Tejgaon.

The Minister of Land said that in the event of a person’s death, their heirs typically fail to submit a partition deed for the distribution of inherited assets. Consequently, disputes arise between the heirs after a few days, resulting in legal proceedings. Furthermore, such disputes can continue to occur even among the next generation of heirs.

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury remarked that the law does not rely solely on verbal agreements, and therefore, a written document is essential.

The Minister further added that those who desire may choose to continue living jointly even after signing a partition deed. It is also possible to transfer assets through the relevant legal process if desired. However, in the absence of a registered partition deed, lawsuits arise when the heirs or their next-generation decide to do something separately for some reason or if there is a disagreement among themselves. That’s why a registered instrument of partition is essential in reducing disputes and cases.

Land Secretary Md Mustafizur Rahman PAA, Land Reform Board Chairman Md Abu Bakr Siddique, and Land Record and Survey Department DG Md. Abdul Barik attended the closing ceremony as a special guest. The event was chaired by Land Appeal Board Chairman A K M Shamimul Huq Siddique. Officials from the Ministry of Land and the Land Appeal Board were also present.

The workshop was organized with additional deputy commissioners (revenue) of different districts of Bangladesh. The objectives of this workshop include: identifying ways to reduce the number of lawsuits, developing procedural matters in the management of cases,
increasing the capacity to conduct courts, identifying ways to reduce pendency in cases, etc. The Land Appeal Board is the highest court to settle disputes related to land and land revenue in the country. It is a quasi-judicial body.