Land and inheritance for Bangladeshis abroad
Your father’s land still needs mutation, a brother wants to sell the family plot, or someone has fenced land you have not seen in years. Most of this can be dealt with while you stay where you are. We check the records, deal with the land offices, registry and courts in Bangladesh, and act on a power of attorney you sign where you live.
What we handle for clients abroad
Finding out what you actually own
Many families abroad hold land on the strength of an old deed and a memory. Before anything is sold, divided or disputed, we pull the record of rights (CS, SA, RS and BS or city survey khatians), the mouza map, certified deed copies from the Sub-Registry and record room, the namjari (mutation) status and the land development tax position. We also look for pending cases, mortgages and deeds you did not know about. You receive a written report in plain English, with scans, that you can share with the rest of the family.
Inherited land: heirship, shares and mutation
When a parent dies, the land does not move into the heirs’ names by itself. We obtain the warish (heirship) certificate from the Union Parishad, pourashava or city corporation, work out each heir’s share under Muslim faraiz or Hindu law, and apply for namjari through e-Namjari at the AC Land office so the khatian shows the heirs. Where there are bank balances, savings certificates, shares or insurance, we apply to the District Judge’s court for a succession certificate under the Succession Act 1925.
Dividing, gifting or selling your share
Heirs abroad usually want one of three things: a clear division, a transfer to a relative in Bangladesh, or a sale. We prepare and register the bontonnama (partition deed) among co-heirs, a heba (gift) deed to a family member, or a sale deed for your share. In most cases your name needs to be recorded first, and the source tax on transfer is collected at registration. If you sell to an outsider, a co-sharer may claim pre-emption, so we plan the sale around that risk. Sale money comes to you through banking channels, with a clear paper trail.
Buying land or a flat while abroad
Remittance-funded purchases are where NRBs lose the most money. We check title and the developer’s approvals before you pay, review the booking and sale agreements, and register the transfer through your attorney. If you now hold only a foreign passport, we check first how you can take title and in whose name.
Land grabbed or records changed while you were away
Absence invites encroachment and forged deeds. Depending on the facts we use the Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act 2023, a civil suit for declaration and recovery of possession with an injunction, correction of the record before the Land Survey Tribunal, or a criminal complaint for forgery. Time limits and evidence both matter, so the earlier we see the papers, the more options you keep.
Looking after property you keep
Tenancy agreements, a limited authority for a caretaker to collect rent, eviction of a tenant who stops paying, and keeping land development tax and holding tax up to date so the record stays clean.
What is included
- A first video consultation and a written action plan with the likely cost and time
- A records search covering khatians, mouza map, deed copies, namjari and tax status
- A plain-English title and risk report you can share with family
- A power of attorney drafted in the Bangladesh format for your exact task
- Filing and follow-up at the AC Land office, Sub-Registry, Union Parishad or court
- Scans of every paper filed and every receipt, and a written update after each step
- Coordination with co-heirs in Bangladesh, and with a surveyor where boundaries are unclear
What we need from you
- Your passport or NID copy; for inherited land, the death certificate and a list of the family members
- Any deeds, khatians, dakhilas (tax receipts) or photos of papers you have. Partial papers are fine; we trace the rest.
- The mouza, upazila and district, or the address of the property
- Contact details of a relative or caretaker who knows the site
Timelines and costs
A records check usually takes one to two weeks. e-Namjari commonly takes about 28 working days when the papers are in order. A succession certificate usually takes a few months. A contested land suit takes years, and we will tell you so at the start. We quote a fixed fee for each stage wherever we can. Government fees, stamp duty and taxes are separate, paid against receipts, and shown to you.
Related services and guides
Video consultation
You explain the land and the family position. We list the papers we need and the risks we can already see.
Records search
We collect khatians, deed copies, the namjari record and any case records from Bangladesh.
Written plan
Options, cost, time, and exactly who must sign what, in writing.
Power of attorney
We draft it here. You sign at the embassy, or before a notary with an apostille, and courier it to us.
Filing and follow-up
We appear at the land office, the registry or the court and send you each update.
Close-out
Updated khatian, registered deeds and certified copies, with originals returned to you by courier.
Common questions
Can I sell my land in Bangladesh while living abroad?
Yes. You give a registered power of attorney that allows the sale, signed at the Bangladesh mission or before a notary with an apostille, then authenticated, stamped and registered in Bangladesh. Your attorney signs the sale deed at the Sub-Registry. You can also sign the deed yourself on a visit and leave the rest to us.
How can I do namjari (mutation) from abroad?
The application is made online through e-Namjari. It can be filed by you or by your attorney, with the heirship certificate, deeds and khatian. If the AC Land office calls a hearing, your attorney or lawyer attends. We track the case until the new khatian is issued.
My relatives have taken my inherited share. What can I do from abroad?
Start with a record check and a legal notice. Depending on the facts, a partition suit, a suit for declaration and possession, or a complaint under the Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act 2023 may follow. Your lawyer and attorney run the case here; your own evidence can often be arranged without a long trip.
Do I need a succession certificate for inherited land?
Usually not. For mutation of land, the heirship certificate and the heirs’ documents are used. A succession certificate is needed to collect a deceased person’s bank money, savings certificates, shares and similar assets.
Can I inherit land in Bangladesh if I am now a foreign citizen?
Inheritance generally follows your personal law, not where you live. Buying new land on a foreign passport alone raises separate questions, which we check before you commit any money.
How do I know my land papers are genuine?
We compare your deed with the registry volume, the khatian and the namjari record, and check the online porcha. Where the chain of title has gaps or signs of forgery, we tell you before you rely on it.
Company registration, investment, tax and business compliance for non-residents are handled by our associate firm LegalDesk.bd.
Land or inheritance back home?
Send us what you have, even photos of old papers, and book a video consultation at a time that suits your time zone. A written assessment costs nothing.