Jumbangla Desk: Nirat Bharan Biswas, the sub-registrar, collected bribes step by step in Chandina, Comilla. He took bribes of around 30 lakh taka per month. In this case, the service seekers are held hostage in various ways. Details from Yugantar's report-
Allegedly, the sub-registrar took bribes using various levels of office staff, brokers and deed writers. From each document, he took 2 thousand taka in the name of Seresta outside the government fee. 200 taka for each fake signature and 100 taka for tips. 20 to 25 thousand rupees are collected from documents with defects, partial mistakes in name, distribution deed, deed of donation, heba declaration, mortgage etc.
It is known that more than 500 documents are processed in Chandina sub-registry office every month. The sub-registrar through his office peon Rabiul Hossain and personal assistant Kaushar Ahmed took additional Tk 2 thousand from each document in the name of Seresta. 200 for each duplicate signature of the document and 100 for tips through them. He earns an average of 10-12 lakhs per month from these three sectors. Meanwhile, among more than 500 documents, he found various types of errors in at least 150 documents. Sometimes more errors are found. Because in the case of most of the documents, there are errors in the details of the donor-receiver's paper, name-address. Many people have mistakes in their own names and parents' names in their national identity cards. The name of the village is misspelled. In order to execute the document, the donor-beneficiary has to pay its fee. A bribe of 20-25 thousand taka is taken to execute these defective documents. Sometimes several times more money is collected. In other words, the sub-registrar snatches 30-32 lakh rupees per month from the defective document sector.
According to sources, the sub-registrar gets at least Tk 30 lakh a month even after giving distributions to his office assistants, cashiers and peons. Service aspirants said that before August 5, this sub-registrar used to collect bribes at a rate several times higher than this.
Tafazzal Hossain, deed receiver of Maizkhar area of the upazila, said that while deeding 35 percent of the land, he had to pay bribes at the sub-registrar's office. First I bribed the deed writer, then PS Kaushar in the name of Seresta. I gave it for duplicating. Then I gave Pion Rabiul 100 taka to give tips. Later, the sub-registrar blocked the document citing errors. After discussion, I gave Tk 20,000 through pawn. Then the document was executed.
Abdul Hamid, the deed receiver of Madhaiya area, said that in addition to Seresta's 2000 taka, three other tables had to pay 2000 taka as bribe. Here they have to pay as much money as they demand. There is no scope for appeal.
Ashikur Rahman, Treasurer of the Deed Writers Association said, Our sub-registrar is a very polite officer. He has taken posting here after spending a lot of money. So we have to look at him. The sub-registrar charged Tk 15-20 thousand per document not more than defective documents. Seresta took 2 thousand taka per document. Out of this, the association gets 400 rupees. Even though he was charged Rs.1500 for the forgery, he got a small amount per signature. And everyone knows that 100 rupees for tip.
Ashiqur Rahman said, less money is collected from donors and receivers in our office in the district. In other upazila sub-registrar's offices there was a kind of robbery. You don't need to make any news against our sir.
Personal assistant Kaushar Ahmed said, the sub-registrar sir is a very polite person. I do the little things according to sir's instructions. I am not involved in any kind of financial transactions. I don't know about Seresta and the rest.
Denying the allegations, Sub-Registrar Nirat Bharan Biswas said, "I am not involved in any kind of bribery." If someone complains it is not correct.
In this regard, District Registrar Monirul Islam said, action will be taken subject to investigation if any additional money is collected beyond the government fee. He said that the information received about Chandina's sub-registrar will be properly investigated.
