Succession certificate filing: from petition to the bank's release of the money
A bank, a savings-certificate office, a company or an insurer has told you it will not pay the deceased's money without a succession certificate. We draft the petition, file it in the right court, serve every heir, deal with objections and hand you the certificate the institution will accept.
Is this you?
- A bank or Sanchayapatra office refuses to release a deceased parent's or spouse's money
- There is no nominee on the account, FDR, shares or policy, or the nominee refuses to share
- Heirs live in different cities or abroad and one person needs authority to collect
- An heir was left out of an earlier certificate and it must be revoked or corrected
- You are not sure whether you need a warish certificate, a succession certificate or probate
What we do for you
Telling you which document you actually need
A warish certificate lists the heirs; a succession certificate lets you collect debts and securities; probate or letters of administration are for a will or an estate that must be administered. We write to the bank or company first and get its requirement in writing, because applying for the wrong grant is why these matters take a year instead of a few months.
Drafting and filing the petition
We prepare the petition under Part X of the Succession Act 1925 in the court of the District Judge where the deceased lived (in Dhaka, the designated Joint District Judge’s court), listing every heir with relationship and address, and every debt or security with its account or certificate number and amount.
Notice, hearing and objections
The court issues notice to the heirs and publishes it. We serve everyone properly, attend the hearing with the originals and the applicants’ evidence, and handle any objection from a co-heir or a nominee. Where the heirs agree, we file their consents so one heir can apply alone.
Court fee, certificate and the bank
When the court is satisfied, it orders the court fee to be deposited, usually within 15 days. We pay it, obtain the certificate, and send certified copies to each bank or office with a covering letter so that payment is released without a second round.
Nominee disputes and revocation
A nominee receives the money as a trustee for all heirs, not as owner. We act for heirs against a nominee who keeps everything, and we apply to revoke a certificate obtained by concealing an heir.
Fees, time and documents
What we need from you
- Death certificate (online registration) and, if available, hospital or burial certificates
- Warish (heirship) certificate from the Union Parishad, pourashava or city ward councillor
- NID, birth certificate or passport of every heir, with photographs and current addresses
- Bank statements, FDR receipts, savings certificates, share or insurance papers showing each asset and its value
- The bank's or company's letter asking for a succession certificate
- Written consent or no-objection from heirs who are not applying; for heirs abroad, an embassy-attested or apostilled power of attorney
Mistakes we see every week
- Applying for probate when the deceased was Muslim and left no will. Probate is for wills; the money needs a succession certificate.
- Leaving an heir out to save time. The certificate can be revoked and the money has to be accounted for.
- Filing in the wrong district. The petition goes where the deceased ordinarily lived, not where the applicant lives.
- Listing the family land in the petition. A succession certificate does not transfer land; land passes by inheritance and is recorded by namjari.
- Assuming the nominee owns the money. The High Court Division treats the nominee as a trustee for the heirs.
Confirm the grant
We get the bank's or company's requirement in writing and list the assets and heirs.
File the petition
Drafted, verified and signed by the applicants, filed with the preliminary court fee and numbered.
Serve and attend
Notices go to every heir; we attend the hearing with originals and record the applicants' evidence.
Pay and collect
We deposit the ad valorem court fee within the time ordered, collect the certificate and deliver certified copies to each institution.
Common questions
How much does a succession certificate cost in Bangladesh?
The court fee is based on the value of the debts and securities covered: nothing up to Tk 20,000, 1% between Tk 20,000 and Tk 1 lakh, and 2% above Tk 1 lakh, with no upper cap. Our professional fee is fixed for an uncontested petition and quoted in writing before filing.
How long does it take to get a succession certificate in Dhaka?
An uncontested petition commonly takes three to six months from filing. Summons is served within about 7 to 10 days, and the certificate is issued a few days after the court fee is deposited. Objections by a co-heir or nominee make it longer.
Which court issues a succession certificate?
The District Judge’s court of the district where the deceased ordinarily lived, under Part X of the Succession Act 1925. In Dhaka a designated Joint District Judge’s court hears these petitions with delegated powers.
Is a warish certificate enough for the bank?
Usually not for money. The warish certificate lists heirs and is used for land mutation and office purposes. Banks, Sanchayapatra offices and companies protect themselves by asking for a court succession certificate, which names who may collect.
Does the nominee get everything?
No. Under section 103 of the Bank Company Act the bank may pay the nominee, but the High Court Division has held that the nominee holds the money as trustee for all legal heirs and must distribute it by their shares.
Can one heir apply alone?
Yes, with the written consent or no-objection of the others, or after serving them with notice. Every heir must be named; a certificate obtained by concealing an heir can be revoked.
Do I need a succession certificate for land?
No. Land passes to the heirs by inheritance and is recorded through namjari with the warish certificate. A succession certificate is for debts and securities: bank balances, FDRs, savings certificates, shares, provident fund and insurance money.
Can heirs living abroad apply?
Yes. They sign a power of attorney before the Bangladesh mission or have it apostilled, and we file and appear on their behalf.
Fees are confirmed in writing before any work begins. Government fees and court fees are separate and receipted.
Release the money the bank is holding
Send the bank's letter, the death certificate and the list of heirs. We will confirm the right grant and the court fee within one working day. A written assessment costs nothing.