TRW & Co · Land & Property
Land Lawyer in Chittagong (Chattogram): Disputes and Title Suits
A land lawyer in Chittagong untangles the records, deeds and possession behind a disputed plot. Chattogram land has passed through several survey operations, generations of inheritance and fast urban growth, so khatians and deeds often disagree. Knowing which office, tribunal or court can fix each problem, and acting before records change, is what protects your title.
Key pointA khatian is evidence of possession, not title: in Chattogram disputes the winning side is usually the one that can show an unbroken chain of deeds and inheritance behind the name on the record, and that moved early to protect the record and possession.
At a glance
Several survey records
CS, SA, RS and BS or city survey khatians often conflict in Chattogram, so title must be traced through every record and deed.
Six metropolitan land circles
Chattogram's metropolitan area is served by six land circle offices under Assistant Commissioners (Land), which handle mutation, land tax and records.
Tribunal for records
Errors in the record of rights go to the Land Survey Tribunal, created by a 2004 amendment to the State Acquisition and Tenancy Act 1950.
New land crime law
The Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act 2023 criminalises forgery and unlawful occupation; the first case under it was filed in Chattogram in 2023.
Sale agreements must be registered
Under the Registration Act 1908, an agreement for sale of immovable property must be registered within thirty days of signing.
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What land disputes look like in Chattogram
A land lawyer in Chittagong spends most of their time on one question: who owns this land, and what do the records, deeds and facts on the ground actually prove? In Chattogram that question is rarely simple. Land in the city and the surrounding upazilas has passed through several survey operations, generations of inheritance, informal family partitions and rapid urban development, and the paper trail often contradicts itself.
Disputes typically arise in a handful of recurring ways: when a buyer discovers a rival deed, when heirs disagree about shares, when a neighbour or relative occupies land, when a survey record names the wrong person, or when a developer, government agency or bank asserts an interest. They affect families in Nasirabad, Khulshi and Panchlaish, landowners on the fringes of the city in Hathazari, Patiya and Sitakunda, and businesses buying industrial land near the port and the economic zones.
This page covers contested land matters: title suits, possession, record corrections, mutation disputes and land crime. If you are buying rather than litigating, start with our property purchase and conveyancing practice and our guide to which court or office handles which land dispute.
The legal framework for land in Bangladesh
No single statute governs land disputes. A competent land lawyer in Chittagong works across several Acts, each answering a different question.
Key statutes
- State Acquisition and Tenancy Act 1950: the backbone of land tenure, covering records of rights, mutation, pre-emption and the Land Survey Tribunals introduced by a 2004 amendment.
- Transfer of Property Act 1882: rules on sale, mortgage, lease and gift, and the protection for a buyer in possession under a contract.
- Registration Act 1908: compulsory registration of transfers of immovable property, including registration of agreements for sale within thirty days of signing.
- Specific Relief Act 1877: declarations of title, recovery of possession, injunctions and specific performance.
- Land Development Tax Act 2023: the annual land tax (khajna), now paid online, which also generates useful evidence of possession and record.
- Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act 2023: criminal liability for forged documents, unlawful occupation and other land offences, with rules issued in 2024.
- Non-Agricultural Tenancy Act 1949: relevant to urban and non-agricultural land in parts of Chattogram city.
Offices and courts in Chattogram
Land administration in the metropolitan area is divided among six land circle offices, each headed by an Assistant Commissioner (Land), with upazila land offices and union land offices covering the rest of the district. These offices handle mutation, land tax and record maintenance. The Deputy Commissioner's office supervises them and runs the record room and the land acquisition branch.
Deeds are registered at the sub-registry offices under the District Registrar. Title suits, partition suits and injunction applications go to the civil courts at the district court complex, whose pecuniary jurisdiction depends on the value of the land. Record-of-rights disputes go to the Land Survey Tribunal. Land crime complaints are heard by magistrates; the first case under the 2023 Act was filed before a Senior Judicial Magistrate in Chattogram in 2023. The High Court Division hears civil revisions, appeals and writ petitions.
The Ministry of Land's online services now carry most routine steps: e-mutation, online khatian copies and land tax payment. Online access helps, but certified copies from the record room and sub-registry remain the evidence courts expect, so we obtain both.
Survey records: CS, SA, RS, BS and why they conflict
Every Chattogram land dispute eventually turns to the record of rights (khatian) and the mouza map. Bangladesh has carried out several survey operations over the last century, and each produced its own khatian:
- CS (Cadastral Survey): the original colonial-era record and the starting point for tracing title.
- SA (State Acquisition): prepared after the abolition of zamindari under the 1950 Act, often quickly and with errors.
- RS (Revisional Survey): a more careful field survey; in Chattogram the RS record is frequently treated as the most reliable historical reference.
- BS (Bangladesh Survey) and city survey: the most recent operation, with new dag (plot) numbers that may not match earlier records.
A khatian is evidence of possession and is presumed correct until shown otherwise, but it does not by itself create title. Title flows from deeds, inheritance and lawful possession. Where the record names the wrong person or shows the wrong area, a land lawyer in Chittagong must decide whether to seek correction before the Land Survey Tribunal, sue for a declaration of title, or both. Our guide to CS, SA, RS, BS and city survey khatians explains the differences, and our khatian correction practice handles tribunal cases.
In Chattogram, a clean BS khatian is a good sign, not a guarantee. The question is always whether the chain of deeds and inheritance supports the name on the record.
Choosing the right remedy
The forum and remedy depend on what has gone wrong. Many clients need more than one: a record correction to fix the khatian, a civil suit to settle title, and an injunction to stop a sale or construction in the meantime.
| Problem | Usual remedy | Forum |
|---|---|---|
| Survey record shows the wrong owner or area | Application for correction of the record of rights | Land Survey Tribunal |
| Rival claim to ownership | Suit for declaration of title, often with recovery of possession | Civil court (Assistant Judge or Joint District Judge, by value) |
| Recent dispossession without lawful process | Summary suit for recovery of possession, or a land crime complaint | Civil court; magistrate under the 2023 Act |
| Co-owners cannot agree on division | Partition suit | Civil court |
| Threatened sale, construction or demolition | Temporary injunction | Civil court in the pending suit |
| Mutation granted to the wrong person | Objection, misc case and appeal within the land administration | AC Land, then Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) |
| Forged deed or fraudulent transfer | Suit for cancellation, plus criminal complaint | Civil court; magistrate |
| Government action without lawful authority | Writ petition | High Court Division |
See our pages on partition suits, recovery of possession and land grabbing and urgent injunctions for detail on each route.
Inherited land and family disputes
A large share of the land cases we see in Chattogram are not between strangers. They are between brothers and sisters, cousins, or a widow and her late husband's family, over land that was never formally divided after a death. Under Muslim law each heir takes a fixed share on death, and under Hindu law the Dayabhaga school governs succession, but the land itself often stays recorded in the deceased's name for years.
Problems follow predictably. One heir sells more than their share, or sells a specific plot that the others regard as theirs. Daughters' shares are left out of informal family arrangements. A relative who has farmed or occupied the land for years claims it outright. Mutation is applied for in only some heirs' names.
The usual path runs in three stages: establish the heirs and their shares with a warish certificate and, where needed for financial assets, a succession certificate; update the record through inheritance mutation; and, if agreement is impossible, file a partition suit so the court can divide the land by metes and bounds. Where a co-sharer sells to an outsider, pre-emption may give the other co-sharers a right to buy the share, but strict time limits apply. See our inheritance practice and our guide to pre-emption (haq shufa) cases.
Family land disputes often settle once every heir sees the same documents and the same calculation of shares. A land lawyer in Chittagong who prepares a clear title report and share table early can make a negotiated partition deed realistic, avoiding years of litigation.
Urban land, CDA and City Corporation records
Within the city, land disputes often involve a building as well as the plot. Chattogram Development Authority approvals, City Corporation holding records and utility connections all become evidence, and a building raised on disputed land raises questions about demolition, compensation and the rights of flat buyers. Where a developer is involved, see our page on landowner-developer agreements.
How a land title suit runs in Chattogram
- Title investigation. We trace the chain from the earliest survey record through every deed, inheritance and mutation, using certified copies from the record room, sub-registry and land office.
- Site inspection and possession evidence. We establish who is in possession, what is built on the land and who pays the land development tax, and gather local witnesses.
- Pre-suit steps. Where appropriate, a legal notice, an objection in the mutation file, or a complaint to the Assistant Commissioner (Land) is lodged to protect the record before litigation begins.
- Filing the suit and interim relief. The plaint is filed with ad valorem court fees and, where there is a threat to the land, an application for temporary injunction is heard early.
- Pleadings and issues. The defendants file written statements, the court frames issues, and parallel matters such as tribunal cases are coordinated.
- Evidence. Certified records, deeds and maps are proved, and the court may appoint an advocate commissioner or survey commissioner to inspect and measure the land.
- Judgment and decree. The court declares title, orders possession or partition, or cancels instruments.
- Appeal, revision and execution. Decrees can be appealed, and revision lies to the High Court Division. A decree for possession is executed through the court.
Land suits are slow, and the record can change while a case is pending. Ask the court for an injunction where there is any risk of sale, and lodge objections in any pending mutation file. A decree in a title suit is only as useful as the record and possession you still have when it is delivered.
Documents a land lawyer in Chittagong will need
- Certified copies of the CS, SA, RS and BS (or city survey) khatians and the relevant mouza map sheets.
- Every deed in the chain: sale, gift (heba), exchange, partition and mortgage deeds, with registration details.
- Inheritance evidence: death certificates, warish (heirship) certificates and, where relevant, succession certificates.
- Mutation (namjari) orders and DCR receipts, and land development tax receipts over as many years as possible.
- Any previous court orders, tribunal decisions, or acquisition and requisition notices.
- CDA approvals, City Corporation holding records and utility bills where there is a building.
- Photographs and witness details showing possession and any recent interference.
Our guides on how to check a khatian online and verifying land documents explain how to obtain many of these.
Risks and common mistakes
Relying on the khatian alone
Many buyers and heirs treat the latest khatian as proof of ownership. It is strong evidence of possession and carries a presumption of correctness, but it does not create title. Records prepared in survey operations can contain errors, especially where heirs were omitted or a sale was never reflected. A title suit can succeed against a person named in the khatian if the deeds and inheritance show otherwise. Always read the record against the chain of title.
Waiting too long after dispossession
A person dispossessed without lawful process has a fast summary route to recover possession, but only for a limited period after dispossession; after that, they must prove title in a full suit. Limitation also runs against claims to recover land and to challenge transfers. Delay strengthens the occupier's position and weakens yours. Take advice as soon as interference begins, and record events with a GD at the local police station where appropriate.
Ignoring the mutation file
Mutation is administrative and does not decide title, but a mutation in a rival's name makes their position look stronger to buyers, banks and courts. When you learn of a pending mutation application, file an objection with the Assistant Commissioner (Land). If mutation has already been granted, the misc case and appeal routes within the land administration are faster than a suit. Our mutation practice handles contested files.
Not checking for acquisition or government interests
Land in Chattogram may be affected by acquisition for roads, port expansion, economic zones or flood control, by vested or abandoned property listings, or by khas status. A dispute between private parties can become irrelevant if the state holds an interest. Search the Deputy Commissioner's acquisition records and the relevant registers early, and consider our land acquisition compensation practice where acquisition is involved.
Using criminal cases as leverage
The Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act 2023 gives real teeth against forgery and unlawful occupation, and it is right to use it where an offence has been committed. Filing exaggerated criminal complaints to pressure the other side in a civil dispute, however, can backfire, delay the civil case and expose the complainant to counter-allegations. Use criminal and civil routes together, but only on evidence that supports each.
Land disputes for probashis and foreign investors
Many Chattogram landowners live abroad. Common problems include relatives taking over inherited land, an attorney exceeding a power of attorney, and records quietly changed while the owner was away. A land lawyer in Chittagong can act on a properly executed and authenticated power of attorney, obtain records online and through the land offices, and run litigation without the owner attending every hearing. See our NRB property practice for these cases.
Where an attorney has sold or mortgaged land beyond the authority granted, the owner may be able to challenge the transaction, but the buyer will often argue good faith. Revoking the power of attorney promptly, notifying the sub-registry and land office, and lodging objections in any mutation file limit further damage while the civil claim is prepared.
Foreign investors acquiring land for factories or warehouses face a different risk: buying into an unresolved family dispute or a defective chain of title. Title investigation and record verification before signing are far cheaper than litigation afterwards. TRW & Co's offices in Dhaka, Singapore, Dubai and London coordinate instructions, document authentication and investor reporting.
How a land lawyer in Chittagong from TRW & Co helps
TRW & Co's Bangladesh advocates appear in the Chattogram civil courts, before the Land Survey Tribunal and magistrates, and in the High Court Division. We act as a land lawyer in Chittagong for families, NRBs, developers and businesses.
Title investigation
Tracing ownership from the earliest survey record through deeds, inheritance and mutation, and giving a written view on strength and gaps in title before you litigate or buy.
Title and partition suits
Declaration of title, recovery of possession, partition and cancellation of instruments in the Chattogram civil courts, with commission evidence where the land must be measured.
Records and tribunal cases
Correction of khatians before the Land Survey Tribunal, and objections, misc cases and appeals in contested mutation files before the land administration.
Urgent protection
Temporary injunctions against sale, construction or demolition, and complaints under the Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act 2023 where land is occupied or documents are forged.
Acquisition and government
Compensation claims, objections to acquisition and writ petitions where an authority acts without lawful basis over private land.
Remote landowners
Running disputes for owners abroad through authenticated powers of attorney and online record access, with regular reporting through our international offices.
Checklist before you meet a land lawyer in Chittagong
- The mouza, dag numbers and khatian numbers for each survey, and the upazila or metropolitan land circle.
- Copies of every deed you hold, plus a family tree if the land was inherited.
- Mutation orders and recent land development tax receipts.
- A short account of who is in possession and what happened, with dates.
- Any notices, GD entries, court papers or tribunal orders already in existence.
- Your objective: secure title, recover possession, divide the land, sell or settle.
To speak to a land lawyer in Chittagong, contact our Chattogram office at Room 4022, Annex 2, District and Sessions Judge Court Building, Court Hill (Porir Pahar), Kotwali, Chattogram 4000, email info@trw.co or call +880 1779 127165. For related work, see title verification, all our practices and the Chattogram office hub.
Frequently asked questions
01Which court hears land disputes in Chattogram?
It depends on the dispute. Title, possession, partition and cancellation suits go to the civil courts at the Chattogram district court complex, with the Assistant Judge or Joint District Judge chosen by the value of the land. Errors in survey records go to the Land Survey Tribunal. Mutation disputes stay within the land administration, from the Assistant Commissioner (Land) upwards. Land crime complaints go to magistrates, and writ petitions against authorities go to the High Court Division.
02Does a BS khatian prove I own the land?
No. A khatian is a record of rights that is presumed correct and is strong evidence of possession, but it does not create title on its own. Ownership comes from registered deeds, inheritance and lawful possession. If the deeds or inheritance show a different owner, a civil court can declare title against the person named in the khatian, and the record can be corrected through the Land Survey Tribunal. Always read the khatian alongside the chain of title.
03Someone has occupied my land in Chattogram. What should I do first?
Act quickly. Record the facts with photographs and witnesses, and consider a GD at the local police station. A person dispossessed without lawful process has a summary civil route to recover possession, but only for a limited time, after which full proof of title is needed. Where land has been occupied unlawfully or documents forged, a complaint under the Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act 2023 may also be available. An injunction can stop construction while the case runs.
04How do I correct a wrong khatian in Chattogram?
Where the error appears in a survey record, the usual route is a case before the Land Survey Tribunal, created by a 2004 amendment to the State Acquisition and Tenancy Act 1950. You will need certified copies of the records, your deeds and inheritance documents, and evidence of possession. Clerical mistakes in the current record may sometimes be corrected administratively through the land office. Tribunal decisions have in practice been challenged in the High Court Division.
05Can I run a land case in Chattogram from abroad?
Yes. You can instruct an advocate and appoint an attorney in Bangladesh through a power of attorney executed abroad and authenticated in line with the Power of Attorney Act 2012 and its rules. Many records, including khatians and mutation files, can now be obtained online. Your attorney and lawyer can attend hearings, although your evidence may be needed at trial. Keep the power of attorney narrow and specific to reduce the risk of misuse.
06How long does a land title suit take in Chattogram?
Land suits are among the slowest cases in Bangladesh, and there is no reliable fixed timeline. Duration depends on the number of parties, whether survey or commission evidence is needed, parallel tribunal or mutation proceedings, and appeals. That is why interim protection, such as an injunction against sale or construction and objections in the mutation file, matters so much. Settlement or mediation can shorten matters considerably where the parties are willing.
07What is the Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act 2023?
It is a 2023 law that makes certain land-related conduct criminal, including forging land documents and unlawfully occupying land, and provides remedies such as restoring possession. Rules under the Act were issued in 2024. Complaints are heard by magistrates, and the first case under the Act was filed in Chattogram in 2023. It complements, rather than replaces, civil suits for title and possession, and should be used only where the evidence supports an offence.
Sources and official materials
- State Acquisition and Tenancy Act 1950 — Records of rights, mutation, Land Survey Tribunals
- Registration Act 1908 — Compulsory registration of land transfers
- Transfer of Property Act 1882 — Sale, mortgage, lease and gift of property
- Land Development Tax Act 2023 — Annual land development tax
- Ministry of Land e-services — e-mutation, online khatian and land tax
- Supreme Court of Bangladesh — High Court Division land judgments
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.
