Buying Property Safely in Bangladesh: A Pre-Purchase Legal Checklist
The difference between a safe purchase and an expensive mistake is usually the week of checking that happens before the money moves. Land or a flat can look perfectly clean and still carry a hidden loan, a live court case, or a fake power of attorney. A short, disciplined due-diligence pass finds those before they become yours.
What should you check before buying property in Bangladesh?
Verify the seller’s title and the deed chain, confirm mutation and up-to-date land tax, and check for any mortgage, lien, injunction, or pending case on the land. For a flat, check the developer’s approvals and the deed of agreement. A lawyer’s due-diligence search is the safeguard before you pay.
Start with clean title
Everything rests on the seller actually owning what they are selling. That means confirming the title and the deed chain, and that the land is mutated into the seller’s name with land tax paid up to date. If the record does not point cleanly to the seller, stop there.
Search for hidden encumbrances
The dangerous problems are the ones not written on the deed:
- Mortgage or lien, where the land is already security for a loan.
- Litigation or injunction, where the land is tied up in a dispute.
- Undisclosed co-owners, common with inherited land, where one heir sells without the others.
A registry and court search surfaces these before you commit.
Watch for power-of-attorney fraud
Sales through a power of attorney deserve extra care. Confirm the power is genuine, still valid, and actually authorises this sale. Forged or expired powers are a recurring source of loss.
Extra checks for a flat
Buying a flat adds the developer to the equation. Confirm the land title, the required building and project approvals, the terms of the deed of agreement, and that your share of land and common areas is properly documented. A good flat on badly approved land is still a problem.
Where this firm fits
Pre-purchase due diligence sits within the firm’s property and real estate practice, alongside title verification and mutation. Before you sign for land or a flat, a due-diligence search is the cheapest insurance you will buy on the deal, speak with the advocate.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For your specific matter, speak with the advocate.
Frequently asked questions
What should you check before buying property in Bangladesh?
Verify the seller's title and the deed chain, confirm mutation and up-to-date land tax, and check for any mortgage, lien, injunction, or pending case on the land. For a flat, check the developer's approvals and the deed of agreement. A lawyer's due-diligence search is the safeguard before you pay.
How do I check if a property has a mortgage or pending case?
A lawyer can search the relevant registry and court records to see whether the land is mortgaged, subject to a lien, or tied up in litigation or an injunction. These encumbrances do not always appear on the face of the deed, which is why a search before purchase matters.
What should I check before buying a flat in Bangladesh?
For a flat, check that the land title is clean, that the developer has the required building and project approvals, that the deed of agreement and its terms are sound, and that the share of land and common areas is properly documented. Approvals and the developer's standing matter as much as the flat itself.