Govt providing all land-related services online: Salahuddin Nagri – Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)

Report on the Digitalization of Land Management Services in Rangpur

Executive Summary

A workshop held in Rangpur on November 2, 2025, detailed the government’s initiative to transition all land-related services to an online platform. Led by AJM Salahuddin Nagri, Chairman of the Land Reforms Board, the discussion focused on leveraging digital technology to simplify land management, enhance revenue collection, and improve public service delivery. This strategic shift directly supports the achievement of several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by fostering institutional transparency, promoting economic stability, and ensuring equitable access to essential services.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The digitalization of land administration is a critical step towards meeting national and international development targets. The initiative significantly contributes to the following SDGs:

• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions): By moving services online, the government is building more effective, accountable, and transparent institutions. This reduces opportunities for corruption and harassment, providing citizens with more reliable and just access to land administration.
• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): The project represents a major investment in digital infrastructure and innovation. It modernizes a fundamental public service, making it more efficient and resilient, which is essential for sustainable industrial and economic development.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Online platforms provide more equitable access to land services for all citizens, regardless of location or social standing. This helps to reduce the bureaucratic barriers and harassment that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
• SDG 1 (No Poverty): Secure and easily verifiable land tenure is fundamental to poverty reduction. A transparent and efficient digital system strengthens property rights, providing a stable foundation for economic security and livelihood improvement.

Key Workshop Proceedings and Statements

The workshop outlined the objectives and progress of the land management modernization program. Key points raised by officials include:

1. Comprehensive Digital Transition: Chairman AJM Salahuddin Nagri confirmed that the government has initiated the process to provide all land-related services online. The primary goal is to reduce the time, cost, and difficulties faced by the public.
2. Citizen-Centric Service Delivery: The chief guest emphasized that the government’s main objective is to provide services in an “easy and improved way,” recognizing that citizens are the central focus of all public administration activities.
3. Integration of Modern Technology: Divisional Commissioner Md Abu Jafar noted that land services are being completed through integrated modern technology. He highlighted that online payment capabilities for Namzari, Khajna, and registration taxes are already decreasing harassment significantly.
4. Operational Support Systems: The effectiveness of field-level Land Support Centers was acknowledged as a crucial component in providing accessible services to the public during this transition.

Stakeholder Involvement and Directives

The workshop demonstrated a multi-level commitment to the initiative, aligning with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Participants included:

• Officials from the Land Reforms Board.
• Representatives from the Rangpur Divisional, District, and Upazila administrations.
• Personnel from Union land offices.

In closing, the chief guest urged all officials to properly utilize the knowledge gained from the workshop to ensure that all land-related services are delivered to the public in an easy, hassle-free, and timely manner, thereby reinforcing the government’s commitment to institutional reform and sustainable development.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The article’s primary focus is on the government’s efforts to reform land management services by making them digital, transparent, and efficient. This directly relates to building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. The initiative aims to reduce “harassment” and make public services more accessible to citizens.
2. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • Secure land rights are a critical component of poverty reduction. By simplifying land management and making it less costly and time-consuming, the government is improving access to and control over land, which is a key economic resource. This helps vulnerable populations secure their assets and reduces their susceptibility to poverty.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • The article highlights the use of “digital technology” and “modern technology and integrated methods” to upgrade a fundamental public service infrastructure (land administration). This aligns with SDG 9’s goal of fostering innovation and upgrading infrastructure to make it more sustainable and resilient.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • The entire initiative described in the article is a direct effort to achieve this target. The government is moving land-related services online to make the land administration system more effective (“reduce the time, cost and suffering”), accountable (through digital records), and transparent for the public.
2. Target 16.5: Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms.
   • The article mentions that online payments for “Namzari, Khajna and registration tax” are leading to a decrease in “harassment in land management.” This “harassment” can be interpreted as a form of petty corruption or bureaucratic inefficiency that creates opportunities for bribery. Digitalization reduces face-to-face interactions, thus curbing such opportunities.
3. Target 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land…
   • The government’s stated objective to provide “services to the people in an easy and improved way” and in a “hassle-free manner” directly contributes to improving access to land administration services. This is a crucial step in ensuring people can establish and maintain control over their land, a vital economic resource.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Reduction in time, cost, and suffering for citizens.
   • The article explicitly states that the use of digital technology aims to “reduce the time, cost and suffering of the people.” These three factors can be quantified and tracked over time to measure the effectiveness of the new online system, serving as direct indicators for Target 16.6.
2. Decrease in harassment in land management.
   • The statement that “harassment in land management is gradually decreasing to a large extent” due to online services implies a measurable reduction. This can be tracked through citizen feedback, surveys, or a decrease in formal complaints, acting as an indicator for Target 16.5.
3. Availability of online land-related services.
   • The article mentions that the government has “started the process of providing all land-related services to the people online” and specifically names services like “Namzari, Khajna and registration tax.” The number and type of services made available online serve as a clear indicator of progress in using technology to improve access to basic services, relevant to Target 1.4.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: bssnews.net