321 land officials promoted

Despite the promotions of 321 land officials to the rank of Canoongo, Land Ministry sources said more than 450 Canoongo posts still remain vacant in the offices of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Assistant Commissioners (Land) across the country, underscoring a continuing personnel crisis in the land administration system due to suspension of direct recruitment since 1991.

Officials concern suggested that the government could consider appointing qualified BCS candidates who fail to secure cadre positions to vacant Class-II and non-cadre posts, including Canoongo positions.

After nearly five years, the government has recently promoted 321 surveyors, union assistant land officers and draftsmen to the rank of Canoongo in a single batch, in an effort to strengthen land administration services across the country.

The newly promoted officers are expected to be posted to the offices of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Assistant Commissioners (Land) in districts and upazilas nationwide.

Officials said the latest move is intended to improve land-related public services at the field level, where a shortage of manpower has long affected service delivery. The previous large-scale promotion to the Canoongo rank was made in December 2019, making this the first major advancement in the cadre in almost half a decade.

However, the latest promotion has also sparked controversy, with reports that at least 20 senior officials from a gradation list of around 1,000 eligible surveyors, union assistant land officers and draftsmen were left out of the promotion process.

Welcoming the decision of promoting land officials to Canoongo, Bangladesh Canoongo Welfare Association president Md Khalilur Rahman and secretary general Md. Belion urged the authorities to fill the remaining vacancies quickly to ensure more efficient public service delivery.

He said direct recruitment to the Canoongo post has remained suspended since 1991 because of administrative complications. As a result, the government has relied entirely on promotions from feeder posts such as surveyors, union assistant land officers and draftsmen to fill vacancies.