TRW & Co · Land and property
Deed Registration in Chittagong: Sub-Registry Process, Fees and Taxes
The deed registration process in Bangladesh runs in five stages: verify title, draft the deed in the prescribed form, pay duties and taxes through the bank, present the deed at the Sub-Registry for the area where the land lies, then collect the original and complete mutation. This guide explains each stage as it works in Chattogram, with the documents and common mistakes.
Key pointMost registration problems surface later, at mutation: a wrong dag number, a missing heir or a khatian that does not match the deed. Check the property schedule word by word against the khatian and mouza map before anyone signs.
At a glance
Registration passes title
A sale of land is made by registered instrument, so until the deed is registered at the Sub-Registry the buyer does not hold legal title.
Prescribed deed form
Transfer deeds follow a prescribed form, carry both parties' photographs and thumb impressions, and must set out the land's ownership history over 25 years.
Seller's khatian required
The seller must produce a current khatian and an affidavit of title, so mutation of inherited land often has to be completed before sale.
Taxes paid first
The Sub-Registrar collects the transferor's tax on transfer before registering a sale, and proof of a submitted tax return is required.
Mutation is separate
Registration does not update the government record by itself; the buyer must follow mutation through to a new khatian at the AC (Land) office.
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The short answer: how deed registration works in Chattogram
The deed registration process in Bangladesh has five stages: verify the title, draft the deed in the prescribed form, pay the duties and taxes through the bank, present the deed at the Sub-Registry office for the area where the land lies, and then collect the registered original and complete mutation. In Chattogram the same national law applies, administered through the Sub-Registry offices under the District Registrar.
Registration is not a formality. Under the Transfer of Property Act 1882, a sale of land is made by a registered instrument, so until the deed is registered the buyer does not hold title. Mistakes at this stage, such as an incomplete schedule, a missing heir or an undervalued deed, are difficult and expensive to correct later.
This guide explains the deed registration process in Bangladesh as it works at a Chattogram Sub-Registry, from the documents you need to the day you collect the original deed.
The legal framework
The Registration Act 1908 sets out which documents must be registered, where, within what time and how. Sales, gifts, mortgages and other transfers of land are compulsorily registrable. Amendments that took effect in 2005 added important safeguards: transfer deeds must follow a prescribed form, the seller must produce a current khatian and swear an affidavit of title, both parties' photographs and thumb impressions go on the deed, and a sale deed must describe the ownership of the land over the previous 25 years together with a sketch map.
An agreement for sale (bainanama) must also be registered within a short statutory period after signing if it is to be enforceable for specific performance. Powers of attorney used in property transactions are governed by the Power of Attorney Act 2012 and its rules.
Recent changes
In 2026 the interim government amended the Registration Act by ordinance, providing for electronic presentation and registration of deeds and adjusting several time limits. Those ordinances were not among the ones reported to have lapsed when the new Parliament reviewed interim-government ordinances in April 2026. Because implementation of e-registration is still rolling out, check with the Sub-Registry or your lawyer how your deed will be handled and which time limits currently apply.
Tax law also bites at registration. The registering officer must collect the tax on transfer under the Income Tax Act 2023 before registering a sale, and proof of submission of an income tax return is required to register a sale, transfer, agreement for sale or power of attorney concerning land, buildings or apartments.
The deed registration process in Bangladesh, step by step
For a typical sale of land or a flat in Chattogram, the deed registration process in Bangladesh runs as follows.
- Verify title first. Check the deed chain, khatians, mutation, land development tax and a Sub-Registry search before drafting anything. Our guide on how to verify land documents sets out each check.
- Collect the documents. Seller's title deeds, the latest khatian in the seller's name (or a predecessor's, for inherited land), mutation papers, current land development tax receipts, NIDs, photographs, proof of return submission and, if anyone signs through an attorney, the registered power of attorney.
- Draft the deed in the prescribed form. A licensed deed writer or a lawyer prepares the deed with the full property schedule (district, upazila, mouza, khatian and dag numbers, area and boundaries), the price, the 25-year ownership history and the seller's affidavit.
- Value the property and calculate charges. The deed value cannot be set below the government's minimum value for the mouza. Stamp duty, registration fee, local government tax and the seller's tax on transfer are calculated on that value.
- Pay through the bank. Duties and taxes are paid through designated bank channels or electronic payment, and the receipts are attached to the deed.
- Present the deed at the Sub-Registry. The parties, or their attorneys, appear before the Sub-Registrar for the area where the land lies, admit execution, and give photographs and thumb impressions. The Sub-Registrar checks the documents and identity before accepting the deed.
- Receive the registration receipt. Once the deed is registered you receive a receipt. The deed is copied into the official register before the original is returned, so ask for a certified copy if you need proof earlier.
- Collect the original and complete mutation. Collect the original deed when it is ready, then make sure mutation (namjari) is completed in the buyer's name at the AC (Land) office. Our guide to online namjari explains this step.
Check the property schedule word by word before signing. A wrong dag number, a missing khatian reference or an area that does not match the khatian is the single most common reason for later mutation problems, and correcting a registered deed usually needs a fresh rectification deed or a court order.
Which Sub-Registry office, and when
A deed relating to land is registered at the Sub-Registry office within whose area the property, or part of it, is situated. Chattogram district has Sub-Registry offices serving the city and each upazila, working under the District Registrar. Confirm the right office from the mouza before booking a date, because a deed presented at the wrong office can be refused.
The Act also sets a time limit for presentation. Most documents must be presented within a limited period after execution, with a further limited period, on payment of a fine, at the Registrar's discretion. Documents executed outside Bangladesh run on a separate clock from their arrival in the country. Given the 2026 amendments, confirm the current periods before signing anything you do not intend to present promptly.
On the day, arrive early with originals and copies of every document, the bank receipts and the parties' NIDs. The Sub-Registrar may question the parties to confirm that they understand the deed and are signing voluntarily, and will refuse a deed if the seller's documents do not satisfy the statutory requirements. Elderly or unwell executants can, in appropriate cases, ask for the deed to be taken at their residence, which needs a separate application and fee.
How long it takes and what it costs
For a clean title with all parties available, the deed registration process in Bangladesh can move from instruction to registration fairly quickly. In practice, the time is spent before the Sub-Registry: obtaining certified copies, completing mutation of inherited land, collecting proof of return submission, and arranging powers of attorney for family members abroad. A realistic plan allows for those steps rather than fixing a registration date first.
The main charges on a sale
For a sale deed, the buyer usually bears stamp duty, the registration fee and local government tax, while the tax on transfer under the Income Tax Act 2023 is the seller's liability and must be paid before the Sub-Registrar will register. Government reductions reported in 2020 brought stamp duty to 1.5% and the registration fee to 1% of the deed value. Local government tax and the seller's tax on transfer vary by area, so they need to be checked for the specific mouza.
Smaller fixed fees apply for items such as the affidavit, copying and page charges. Gifts to close relatives, agreements for sale and partition deeds attract flat fees under the official table instead of percentage charges.
Who pays
The contract decides who bears which cost, so agree it in writing before drafting. A common source of last-minute disputes at Chattogram Sub-Registry offices is a seller who has not budgeted for the tax on transfer. Settling the allocation early keeps the deed registration process in Bangladesh on schedule.
Deed types and how they are charged
The deed registration process in Bangladesh is the same in outline for most deeds, but the charges and documents differ. The official table of fees under the Registration Act, published in the Bangladesh Gazette in 2014 and revised since, sets flat fees for some deeds.
| Deed | Typical use | Charging basis | Points to note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sale deed (saf kabala) | Sale of land or a flat | Percentage charges on the deed value: stamp duty, registration fee, local government tax and the seller's tax on transfer | Deed value cannot be below the mouza minimum |
| Heba (gift) to close relatives | Gift between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, or full siblings | Flat registration fee of Tk 100 under the 2014 fee table; stamp duty charged separately | Relationship must fall within the listed categories |
| Agreement for sale (bainanama) | Fixing terms before the sale deed | Flat registration fee in value bands under the 2014 fee table | Must be registered within the statutory period to be enforceable |
| Partition (bontonnama) | Division among co-sharers | Flat registration fee in value bands | All co-sharers must join |
| Power of attorney | Authorising someone to sell or register | Stamp duty and fees as prescribed for powers of attorney | Prescribed form; executed abroad needs authentication |
| Mortgage | Security for a bank loan | Percentage fee with minimums and caps under the fee table | Release deed needed on repayment |
Our guide to land registration cost in Bangladesh sets out the sale-deed charges in more detail, and our heba deed team advises on family transfers.
Illustrative scenario: a sale signed partly abroad
This scenario is illustrative and does not describe a real client or transaction.
Three siblings inherit a plot in an upazila of Chattogram district. Two live in Chattogram; the third works in Dubai. They agree to sell to a local buyer.
Rather than flying home, the sibling in Dubai executes a power of attorney in the prescribed form, has it authenticated at the Bangladesh mission and sends it to Chattogram, where it is processed and registered. Meanwhile the siblings complete mutation of the inherited land into their names, because the deed must show a current khatian for the sellers or their predecessor and a clear inheritance link.
On the registration date, the two resident siblings and the attorney appear at the Sub-Registry. The deed records all three as sellers, the 25-year ownership history and the inheritance. Charges are paid through the bank in advance. After registration, the buyer's lawyer follows up the mutation. Planning the deed registration process in Bangladesh around the absent heir avoided a defect that would have clouded the title for years.
Risks and common mistakes
Under-stating the price in the deed
Parties sometimes record a lower price to reduce charges. The deed value cannot be below the government minimum for the mouza, and recording a false price exposes both sides to tax consequences, weakens the buyer's evidence of what was paid and can cause problems on a future sale or acquisition claim. Record the true consideration and pay through traceable bank transfers.
Leaving out an heir or co-owner
Where land was inherited, every heir holding a share must join the sale or have parted with the share by a registered deed. A deed signed by some heirs only passes their shares, and the others can later sue for partition or to set the sale aside. Build the family tree from a succession or warish certificate and match it to the khatian before drafting.
Using a defective power of attorney
A power of attorney that is not in the prescribed form, not registered where required, not properly authenticated if executed abroad, or that does not clearly authorise the sale of this property, can invalidate the registration or invite a challenge. Our power of attorney lawyers review the original before the registration date.
Forgetting mutation after registration
Registration transfers title, but the government's record still shows the seller until mutation is completed. Without mutation, the buyer may struggle to pay land development tax in their own name, obtain building permission or sell later. Systems linking registration and mutation have been introduced in stages since 2020, but follow up with the AC (Land) office until the new khatian issues.
Executing a deed from abroad
Bangladeshis living in the UK, the Gulf, Singapore and elsewhere can complete the deed registration process in Bangladesh without travelling, usually through a power of attorney executed abroad and authenticated by a Bangladesh mission. The power must then be processed and, where required, registered in Bangladesh within the permitted time before the attorney can rely on it.
TRW & Co's offices in London, Dubai and Singapore help clients prepare documents in the correct form, and our Bangladesh advocates complete registration at the Chattogram Sub-Registry and follow through to mutation. See our property and conveyancing practice.
What to do next
Before you book a registration date, work through this short checklist:
- Title verified, with certified copies and a Sub-Registry search.
- All sellers identified, including every heir.
- Khatian, mutation and land development tax current.
- Income tax return submitted by the parties who need proof of it.
- Draft deed checked against the khatian and mouza map.
- Charges calculated on at least the mouza minimum value and paid through the bank.
- Any power of attorney in the prescribed form and properly registered.
- A plan for collecting the original deed and completing mutation.
Our mutation team completes the record after registration. The TRW & Co Chattogram office is at Room 4022, Annex 2, District and Sessions Judge Court Building, Court Hill (Porir Pahar), Kotwali, Chattogram 4000. Contact us at info@trw.co or +880 1779 127165 to have your deed reviewed before it is registered.
Frequently asked questions
01Where do I register a land deed in Chattogram?
At the Sub-Registry office within whose area the land, or part of it, lies. Chattogram district has Sub-Registry offices for the city and each upazila, working under the District Registrar. Identify the correct office from the mouza in the khatian before booking, because a deed presented at the wrong office can be refused. Your deed writer or lawyer can confirm the office and arrange the appointment.
02What documents are needed for deed registration?
Typically the seller's title deeds, the latest khatian in the seller's or predecessor's name, mutation papers, current land development tax receipts, NIDs and photographs of the parties, proof of submission of income tax return, bank receipts for duties and taxes, and any registered power of attorney. The deed itself must be in the prescribed form with a full property schedule, the seller's affidavit of title and, for a sale, the 25-year ownership history.
03How long does it take to get the original deed?
You receive a receipt on the day of registration. The original deed is returned after it has been copied into the official register, which can take some time depending on the office's workload. If you need proof of the transfer before then, for mutation or a bank loan for example, apply for a certified copy. Ask the Sub-Registry for the expected collection date and keep the receipt safe.
04Is a bainanama (agreement for sale) required before the sale deed?
Not always. Many sales go straight to a registered sale deed. Where the parties sign an agreement for sale first, for example because the price is paid in instalments, the agreement must be registered within the statutory period after signing if the buyer wants to be able to enforce it through the courts. An unregistered agreement gives the buyer much weaker protection if the seller backs out.
05Can I register a deed if I live abroad?
Yes. You can either attend in person during a visit or appoint an attorney. A power of attorney executed abroad must be in the prescribed form, authenticated by the Bangladesh mission and then processed and, where required, registered in Bangladesh within the permitted time. Your attorney then appears at the Sub-Registry for you. Make the power specific to the property and transaction rather than a broad general power.
06Does registration automatically update the khatian?
Not entirely. Systems linking Sub-Registry registration with mutation at the AC (Land) office have been introduced in stages since 2020, but the buyer should still check that mutation is opened and completed and that a new khatian is issued in their name. Until then, land development tax and future transactions may be difficult, and the government record still shows the seller.
Sources and official materials
- Registration Act 1908 — Compulsory registration, place and time of presentation, seller's documents and prescribed form
- Transfer of Property Act 1882 — Sale of immovable property by registered instrument
- Power of Attorney Act 2012 — Powers of attorney for property transactions, including those executed abroad
- Table of fees under the Registration Act (Bangladesh Gazette, 2014) — Flat fees for heba, agreements for sale, partition and mortgage deeds
- National Board of Revenue — Tax on transfer of property and proof of submission of return
- Ministry of Land online services — Mutation, khatian and land development tax after registration
General information only, current as at 2 November 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create an advocate–client relationship. It reflects the law of Bangladesh unless stated otherwise, and the law, court practice and official fees change frequently. Check current official sources and take advice on the facts of your matter.
