Dhaka: Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam went undercover as an ordinary service seeker at a land office on Monday to get a firsthand account of the services provided to the public and identify possible irregularities and harassment.
Wearing a burqa and concealing her identity, she visited the Uttar Khan Union Land Office, where she sought land-related services like any other citizen and spoke to people waiting for assistance.
Farida asked service seekers whether they had faced harassment, unnecessary delays, demands for extra money or other difficulties while accessing land services.
She also observed the office’s overall operations, service environment and the behaviour of officials and employees to assess the quality of services from the perspective of ordinary citizens.
Following the visit, the deputy commissioner instructed officials to ensure prompt, transparent and hassle-free services for the public.
“I regularly inspect land offices through formal visits. However, such inspections do not always reveal the actual state of service delivery. I came here posing as an ordinary service seeker to learn firsthand about people’s experiences,” she said.
Ensuring that land services reach people’s doorsteps without harassment or inconvenience is the administration’s responsibility, Farida said.
“Such field-level observations help us understand the actual situation and take necessary action promptly,” she added.
The Dhaka district administration said it regularly monitors land offices to make services more accessible, transparent and citizen-friendly. Alongside formal inspections, it is also conducting surprise visits and field-level assessments to identify shortcomings and improve service delivery.
