The Ministry of Land has begun working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on a project aimed at sparing land buyers in Bangladesh the hassles they often face over holding and khatian (land record) entries and subsequent error corrections, Land Secretary ASM Saleh Ahmed said on Tuesday.

Saleh Ahmed came up with the disclosure after inspecting the proposed site for an integrated upazila land complex in Savar on the outskirts of Dhaka.

The senior secretary said the initiative seeks to free land buyers from harassment stemming from holding and khatian entries and the correction process that follows. Pilot projects under the scheme have already been rolled out in several districts.

"Piloting of the project has been completed in eight districts. Data entry of holdings and khatians is currently underway in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj districts," Saleh said, adding that the programme would eventually be expanded nationwide to ensure complete khatian and holding entry along with error correction.

He expressed satisfaction over the smooth conduct of the data entry and correction activities in Savar, saying the land service system would become simpler, more people-friendly and automated once the data entry process is completed.

Regarding the proposed integrated upazila land complex in Savar, the senior secretary said the site lies beside the Dhaka-Aricha highway and is owned by the Land Ministry. The project has already been approved by the Executive Committee of the ECNEC.

Once built, the complex will allow the upazila land office and the upazila settlement office to operate from the same building, enabling people to access land survey, mutation and other land services under one roof, he said.

Saleh later visited the Savar Upazila Land Office and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer's office, where he directed officials to ensure mutation and other land services are provided without harassing the public.