Raiganj Correspondent:

People, who come to get services in the union land offices of Raiganj upazila in Sirajganj district, have been facing extreme suffering due to extreme manpower shortage.
In addition, service seekers are facing various problems in completing work such as selling or transferring lands.
According to the sources, in nine unions in this upazila, only seven persons have been servicing against the posts of 18 land assistant officers. As a result, the remaining 11 posts have been remained vacant for long that leads suffering to the service seekers.
According to sources in the offices, although there are supposed to be a total of nine land assistant officers, 18 deputy assistant officers and 18 office assistant posts in these nine offices in the upazila, most of the posts have been laying vacant due to lack of proper monitoring by the high-ups.
Consequently, conscious people in the area have expressed concern over the mismanagement in the offices. As per their views, the government is losing huge amount of revenue due to stagnation of works in the land offices.
Locals said, we face problem, when we go to the offices to pay Khazna (land rent) or any other work purpose. Due to lack of efficient manpower and technical problems like server down or internet problem take more time in providing and getting services.
On-site visit to the Sahebganj Union Land Office, it was found that although there was a post of one land assistant officer, but it was seen vacant. There was one out of two deputy assistant land officers and one out of two office assistants.
Zahidul Islam, Deputy Assistant Land Officer of the union said that, “We have informed the matter to the concerned authorities including the upazila administration. Due to the shortage of manpower, it is not possible to complete all the works timely. When we go to the field for official work or for field investigation at the request of service recipients, the office work gets stuck up. This causes disruption in the service recipients’ access to services. We are hopeful that if the vacant posts are filled soon, the service process will be more transparent and faster.”
Locals complained that, they have to wait for hours to get daily services. Many times it is not easy to submit the necessary documents and get services. Besides, they have to face various problems while completing tasks like selling or transferring land. This is increasing the suffering.
Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Humayun Kabir admitted about the insufficient manpower in the union land offices and said, “I do not have the authority to appoint manpower for vacant posts. If we get clearance from the Land Ministry, the vacant posts will be filled up by the intervention of district administration.”
The common people of Raiganj Upazila claimed that, if the manpower crisis is removed, getting services from the offices will be easier.