S M Joherul Islam, Sreepur (Gazipur)

An allegation that forest land listed in a government gazette was registered in the name of a private individual at the Sreepur Sub-Registry Office in Gazipur has come under scrutiny after details of the disputed deed were reviewed.

According to relevant parties, the plot and khatian numbers stated in the deed do not match those of any Forest Department property listed in the government gazette. They said the available deed records therefore do not support the allegation that gazette-listed forest land was registered in a private individual’s name.

The disputed Deed of Sale No. 12982/25 was registered at the Sreepur Sub-Registry Office on Nov. 19, 2025.

The deed identifies Touhidul Alam Milki, a resident of Road 5 in Sector 6 of Uttara, Dhaka, as the buyer and Abdur Rahim Nahid, son of Shafiqul Rahman of Charipur in Feni Sadar Upazila, as the seller. The stated value of the land is Tk 7.25 million ($72.5 lakh).

The deed’s schedule lists SA Plot No. 570 under Khatian No. 18 and RS Plot No. 1069 under Khatian No. 152.

Relevant parties said these plot and khatian numbers do not correspond to Forest Department land listed in the government gazette. They said no deed had been executed in respect of any plot identified as Forest Department property in the gazette.

The deed was prepared by Hadiul Islam of Uttar Pelaid area in Telihati Union, who holds certificate No. 111.

Earlier reports had alleged that Sub-Registrar Sohel Rana was involved in the registration through the deed writer. Relevant parties, however, said the registration process was completed after verification of the necessary documents, ownership records, plot and khatian information and other relevant papers.

Sohel Rana, the sub-registrar, denied any irregularity.

“A deed is not registered simply because it is presented,” Rana said. “The identities of the parties, ownership documents, plot and khatian information and other relevant records are verified before a decision is made in accordance with the law.”

“There is no scope for registering government-owned or gazette-listed forest land in the name of a private individual,” he said. “No such irregularity has occurred during my tenure, and I will not allow any deed to be executed in violation of the law in the future.”

Reports have also alleged that a warehouse has been built on the land and that the property is being used for commercial purposes.

Relevant parties said, however, that the legality of constructing a structure on a particular piece of land is separate from the question of whether a deed was lawfully registered at the sub-registry office. Any question regarding the legality of the construction, they said, should be examined by the appropriate land and administrative authorities.

To establish the actual location and ownership of the disputed property, relevant parties said the original deed should be examined alongside the CS, SA and RS records, khatians, land office documents and the Forest Department’s government gazette.

A comparison of those records would help establish whether the property in question is in fact part of the gazette-listed Forest Department land and clarify the basis of the registration.