Open source legal advice: How Facebook groups are empowering victims of land disputes

Illustration: TBS

The nature of land-related disputes varies widely in Bangladesh. Take a post on a Facebook group, for example. "There are three heirs to a property, two of whom are in the country and want to sell their shares. Can those portions be bought?" user E R Sabuj asks. 

"Yes, they can be, but first, a legal notice must be sent to the heir living abroad," Suman Miah responds.

In another post on the same group, Abdur Rahman asks, "I have the deed, the mutation has been completed, and land taxes have been paid. What can I now do to take physical possession of the land?"

Anwar Hossain replies, "Join politics. Flatter your local political leader. Post some praises for him on Facebook. Your problem will be solved in no time."

The largest of such groups, 'Land-Related Issues and Solutions, and Legal Advice', was founded by Rakim Uddin Rakib, a lawyer who currently practises in the Chattogram District and Sessions Court. 

I have always wanted to ensure that no one gets cheated just because they do not know what's in their land documents. My goal has been to empower people so they do not lose their rights out of ignorance. I believe awareness leads to social change, and that's exactly what I'm trying to achieve.

Rakim Uddin Rakib, lawyer and founder, Land-Related Issues and Solutions, and Legal Advice Facebook Group

With dreams of becoming a banker, Rakim had originally earned an MBA as an accounting major. But a query by his father changed his career path. Rakim's father once owned several plots of land in the village. One day, he asked Rakim — his educated son — to explain the BS and RS plot numbers listed on their land deeds. Rakim failed to provide an answer. His father's disappointment cut deep.

That sense of failure, helplessness and shame prompted Rakim to take a vow: he would one day master these matters. Soonafter, he became involved in student politics, where people increasingly approached him with questions about land and legal documents. But at the time, he still lacked clear answers.

To help people, he would post questions in various social media groups, but those posts were often not approved, or if they were, it would be too late — the original inquirer had already lost interest.

This repeated frustration made Rakim realise just how critical it was to eliminate this widespread ignorance of land law. He saw firsthand how people were exploited at land offices by brokers, and even by their own family members due to this lack of legal knowledge. 

Rakim then pursued an LLB, but democratising his knowledge would require a different approach. He wanted to create a platform where people could receive free legal help, especially for land-related issues, ultimately launching the Facebook group in 2021.

The beginning was modest. He had no idea the group would grow so rapidly; today, the group has become Bangladesh's largest online platform for land-related issues, with over a million members.

Thousands of posts are made in the group every day. People come with hopes of finding answers to their questions, especially those who cannot afford to consult a lawyer, or who fall victim to brokers and middlemen.

Rakim manages all the Q&As by himself. However, inspired by his initiative, many other lawyers have joined the group and contribute whenever possible.

"I have always wanted to ensure that no one gets cheated just because they do not know what's in their land documents. My goal has been to empower people so they do not lose their rights out of ignorance. I believe awareness leads to social change, and that's exactly what I'm trying to do. In our country, 90% of people do not know the basic laws surrounding land, which is deeply unfortunate. As a result, cases of fraud are increasing every day," Rakim explains.

He charges no fees. Amid his busy schedule, he still tries to respond to as many posts as possible, never complaining. Knowing that people are learning gives Rakim peace of mind.

"I try to encourage people to seek knowledge. If someone is vulnerable, I want to make sure they do not make a wrong move. I have never taken a single taka from this group. I have only ever wanted my time, knowledge and experience to be useful to others," he adds.

Service over suffering

Another notable group, named 'Land-Related Problems and Solutions', has over 700,000 members. Its description reads, "Land disputes have existed since the dawn of civilisation. In the past, kings waged wars; today, brothers fight over land. This group was created to offer guidance and protect people from the misleading advice of corrupt brokers."

Reading through the daily posts proves that the group genuinely aims to educate people.

Another similarly named group has over 600,000 members. It was founded by Saber Chowdhury, who works at a survey firm. He created the group in 2021 based on his own bitter experiences.

In search of legal help, Saber faced widespread corruption. He realised how ordinary citizens suffer from a lack of legal knowledge. Even when posting in other groups, he struggled to get clear or effective answers. So, he launched his own group to provide solutions and reduce public suffering.

He initially invited his friends to join. The response was overwhelming — within a day, the group grew to over 3,000 members. The number of posts kept increasing, making it clear how much people struggle in this area.

Saber then personally approached several top lawyers, both at their chambers and online, to bring them into the group, building a reliable and trustworthy team this way. The group receives 300-400 posts daily, most of which are answered. Even queries sent via the inbox are responded to whenever possible.

Risks of open-source legal aid

While many genuine lawyers are helping, there are also scammers who mislead people, Saber acknowledges. 

Some advertise fake services in the comments. Others approach victims via the inbox and deceive them. Some even offer to "solve everything" for an unrealistically low price, putting desperate people in greater danger.

This is largely due to the complex legal terminology in land matters; many people simply do not understand the language used, making them easy targets for fraudsters.

According to a 2022 BBC Bangla report, around four million cases are pending in Bangladeshi courts, 60% of which are related to land disputes.

The reasons include outdated and flawed land records, river erosion, legal loopholes, corruption among officials, lack of awareness, and rapid land development.

Most disputes begin with flawed records or surveys. The history of land surveys in Bengal spans colonial, pre-colonial, and post-independence eras — with multiple revisions and updates.

From Mughal emperor Akbar's minister Todar Mal to British surveyors like James Rennell and Colonel Smith, various survey methods evolved over time, including CS (Cadastral Survey), RS (Revisional Survey), SA (State Acquisition Survey), and even city-specific metropolitan surveys.

Frequent changes in political regimes, geography and governance have all contributed to the complexity. 

And because the official avenues for land services often lead to harassment instead of help, Facebook groups like those mentioned here have grown rapidly in popularity.

Saber Chowdhury now dreams bigger. He is consulting with 40-45 lawyers and experts to build a website or app — something like 'DocTime' for legal advice — where people can get reliable land-related legal help easily and quickly.

Saber says, "A huge number of land disputes in Bangladesh could be avoided if people had access to clear, honest legal advice from the beginning."