Bagerhat registrar’s office runs from rented house

For the past six years, the Bagerhat District and Sadar Upazila Registrar's Office has been running from a rented house, causing severe disruption to services and suffering for the public.

The lack of a permanent office has led to poor service delivery. Both officials and service recipients often face difficulties due to space constraint, while inadequate storage facilities have raised concerns about safety of crucial documents.

The registrar's office currently operates from the fourth floor of a rented building in Mithapur Intersection of Bagerhat town.

"We have to climb four flights of stairs to access the office, which is difficult for elderly and sick individuals. There is no seating arrangement inside, forcing us to wait in queue outside under the scorching sun or in the rain for hours," said Jahidul Talukder, who visited the office for land-related paperwork.

Shekhar Das, another service recipient, echoed him.

Salayman Bali, who went to collect a deed last week, said it took a long time to retrieve the necessary records as the documents are not stored properly due to the space shortage.

The working condition inside the office is also largely inadequate, leaving employees compelled to work from cramped spaces, while raising the risk of errors made in deed preparation.

Sohel, a copyist, said, "There is not enough space here to store important deeds and documents. Finding necessary papers sometimes becomes a challenging task."

Lubna, another copyist, echoed him.

"A large number of deeds are stored here daily. However, due to space limitations, many important documents remain in open spaces, increasing the risk of damage," said office staffer Sajal Babu.

Even though the government office generates a significant amount in revenue yearly, it still lacks an adequate, permanent facility. Despite repeated demand from the officials and service recipients alike, the construction of a permanent office still remains a far cry.

Contacted, Mohammad Abdul Karim Dala Miah, district registrar in Bagerhat, said land acquisition for a permanent building is currently underway.

"We hope that a permanent building will be allocated to the office soon to alleviate public suffering," he added.