For most Non-Resident Bangladeshis, a power of attorney for NRB property work is the bridge between where you live and where your property sits. It lets a trusted person in Bangladesh buy, sell, register, mutate, rent out or defend your property while you stay in New York, London, Toronto or Dubai. Drafted well, it saves you flights, leave days and months of delay. Drafted badly, it becomes the single most common tool used to take property away from owners abroad.
I am Matin Sarkaer Mishuk, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh. A large part of my practice is NRB clients, and I draft, review and process powers of attorney from the USA, UK, Canada, the Middle East and elsewhere every month. This page explains the law, the process and the safeguards I build into every document.
My first rule for NRB clients: give the narrowest power that gets the job done, for a fixed period, to the person you trust most, and keep the original documents under your control.
The law behind a power of attorney in Bangladesh
Powers of attorney are governed by the Power of Attorney Act, 2012 and the Power of Attorney Rules, 2015, read with the Registration Act, 1908 and the Stamp Act, 1899. The points that matter most for NRBs are:
- Irrevocable power (section 2): a power given for selling immovable property, executing a sale agreement, mortgaging property against a loan or executing land development documents for consideration. It cannot be revoked during its term.
- Execution abroad (section 4): a power executed outside Bangladesh must be authenticated by the Bangladesh mission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then stamped by the Collector (Deputy Commissioner) in Bangladesh.
- Registration: registration of an irrevocable power of attorney is compulsory.
- Binding effect: acts done by your attorney within the power bind you as if you did them yourself.
- Stamping deadline: under section 18 of the Stamp Act, 1899, an instrument executed abroad must be stamped within three months after it is first received in Bangladesh.
A recent amendment to the Power of Attorney Rules also made the process easier for expatriates by accepting a national identity card, birth certificate or a foreign passport with a No Visa Required endorsement, instead of only a Bangladeshi passport. Missions update their checklists from time to time, so I always confirm the current requirements with the relevant mission before the client books an appointment.
Types of power of attorney for NRB property work
| Type | Typical use | Revocable? | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special power of attorney | One defined task, such as mutation, tax payment or a single court case | Yes | Authentication and stamping; registration not always required |
| General power of attorney | Ongoing management, rent collection, utility and tax matters | Yes, by notice | Authentication and stamping |
| Irrevocable power for sale | Selling a specific plot or flat to a specific buyer | No, during its term | Compulsory registration |
| Irrevocable power for development | Landowner authorising a developer under a JVA | No, during its term | Compulsory registration |
| Power for litigation | Filing, defending and giving instructions in suits | Yes | Authentication and stamping |
Step-by-step process from abroad
Step 1: Decide the exact purpose
Before drafting, we agree what the attorney may do and what they may not. Sale or no sale? One plot or all property? Receive money or not? For how long? Every “yes” adds power and risk.
Step 2: Drafting in the prescribed format
I draft the document in the format required under the Power of Attorney Rules, in Bangla or bilingual form, with a precise schedule of the property: district, upazila or thana, mouza, khatian, dag and area. A vague schedule is the first thing an abuser exploits and the first thing a Sub-Registry rejects.
Step 3: Signing at the Bangladesh mission
You sign in person before the consular officer at the Bangladesh embassy, high commission or consulate in your country of residence. Most missions require your passport or other accepted ID, photographs of you and the attorney, the unsigned draft in the required number of copies and, for land, supporting documents such as the khatian and latest tax receipt. A list of missions is in my article on Bangladesh consulates worldwide.
Step 4: Send the original to Bangladesh
The signed and attested original is sent by courier to your attorney or to my chamber.
Step 5: Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation
The document is attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka. Many missions advise that this be done within two months of signing at the mission, so plan the courier time.
Step 6: Stamping and authentication by the Deputy Commissioner
The Collector’s office (Deputy Commissioner) assesses and collects stamp duty under the Stamp Act and authenticates the document. Under section 4 of the Act, the Collector forwards a copy to the Sub-Registry for recording.
Step 7: Registration and use
Where the power is irrevocable, it is registered. Your attorney can then act. For RAJUK plots, note that since 2023 RAJUK has required its own prior approval for powers of attorney over its plots, which I handle alongside the RAJUK file.
Documents you will need
- Your passport, NID, birth certificate or foreign passport with NVR, as accepted by the mission
- Recent photographs of you and the attorney
- Attorney’s NID copy
- Draft power of attorney in the required format and number of copies
- Property details: deed number, khatian, dag, mouza and area
- Latest land development tax receipt (dakhila) and khatian copy, for land
- For RAJUK property: lease deed, allotment and latest RAJUK letter
- For company matters: board resolution
Country notes: USA, UK, Canada and the Middle East
| Where you live | Where you sign | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC or the consulates in New York and Los Angeles | Book early; allow courier time to Dhaka. My guide on power of attorney from USA to Bangladesh covers the details. |
| UK | Bangladesh High Commission in London or the Assistant High Commissions in Manchester and Birmingham | Missions publish their own checklists and fees; follow them exactly. |
| Canada | Bangladesh High Commission in Ottawa or the consulate in Toronto | Check the mission’s appointment system before travel. |
| Middle East | Bangladesh embassies and consulates in Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, Muscat and others | High demand; queues can be long around holidays. |
How powers of attorney are misused, and how I prevent it
I have handled many cases where an NRB owner lost control of property through a power of attorney given in good faith. The patterns repeat:
- A broad general power used to sell property the owner never meant to sell
- An attorney who sells to himself or a relative at a low price
- Sale money received by the attorney and never sent to the owner
- A revoked power still used because the Sub-Registry was never informed
- A blank or loosely worded schedule filled in later
My safeguards are practical:
- Specific purpose, specific property, specific buyer where possible
- Fixed expiry date
- Sale money to be paid directly into your bank account, not to the attorney
- Duty to give you copies of every document signed
- No power to sub-delegate unless you agree
- Clear revocation procedure and notice to the Sub-Registry when you revoke
Choosing the right attorney
The document is only as safe as the person holding it. Before naming an attorney, consider:
- Trust and track record: has this person handled money or property for you before?
- Availability: can they attend the Sub-Registry, land office and court on working days?
- Conflict of interest: are they also an heir, a buyer or a tenant of the same property?
- Backup: should a second attorney act jointly, so that no single person can sign alone?
For larger transactions, I often recommend two attorneys acting jointly, or one family member acting with my chamber reviewing every document before signature.
What your attorney should report to you
I build a simple reporting duty into every power of attorney for NRB clients. The attorney sends you scanned copies of every deed, application, receipt and court order within a few days of signing or receiving it. Rent and sale money go straight to your account. Any step outside the written power needs your written approval. These are not signs of distrust. They protect the attorney as much as you, because no one can later accuse them of acting without authority.
A typical scenario from practice
A common situation: a software engineer in California owns a flat in Mirpur and a plot in Gazipur inherited from his father. He wants his younger brother to rent out the flat and pay the taxes, and to sell the plot to a known buyer.
Rather than one broad general power, I prepare two documents: a general power limited to managing the flat, and an irrevocable power for sale limited to the Gazipur plot, naming the buyer, the price and payment into the client’s account. The client signs both at the consulate in Los Angeles in a single appointment. Both are attested, stamped and registered in Dhaka, and the sale closes without the client flying home.
Cancelling a power of attorney
A general or special power can be revoked by a written revocation, served on the attorney and recorded where the original was registered or authenticated. An irrevocable power cannot be cancelled during its term except in the limited ways the Act allows, which is why I keep irrevocable powers narrow. If you suspect misuse, act quickly: revoke where possible, notify the Sub-Registry and AC Land office, and consider a caveat or legal notice. My page on NRB property management and dispute resolution explains the next steps.
Using one power of attorney for several tasks
Clients often ask whether one document can cover sale, mutation, tax and court work together. It can, but I rarely advise it. A combined power is harder to verify at each office, more dangerous if misused and harder to revoke in part. Two or three focused documents, signed at the same mission appointment, give you the same convenience with far better control.
Connected services for NRB clients
- Property verification and legal vetting before buying through an attorney
- Apartment purchase legal check for flats bought from abroad
- Warish certificate for inherited property when heirs live abroad
- RAJUK sale permission and mutation for RAJUK plots
For a general overview, see my article on power of attorney in Bangladesh.
Frequently asked questions
Can I give a power of attorney from abroad for selling land in Bangladesh?
Yes. You sign before the consular officer at the Bangladesh mission, the document is attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, stamped and authenticated by the Deputy Commissioner and, for sale, registered as an irrevocable power of attorney.
Is a notarised power of attorney from the USA or UK valid in Bangladesh?
For property work, Sub-Registry and land offices expect the power to be executed before the Bangladesh mission and then attested and stamped in Bangladesh as required under the Power of Attorney Act, 2012. A local notary alone is usually not enough.
How long does the whole process take?
Usually a few weeks from mission signing to a usable document in Dhaka, depending on mission appointments, courier time and the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
Do I need a Bangladeshi passport to sign?
Not necessarily. Following a recent amendment to the Rules, an NID, birth certificate or foreign passport with NVR can be accepted. Check the current checklist of your mission.
Can I cancel a power of attorney?
A general or special power can be revoked by written notice. An irrevocable power cannot be cancelled during its term except as the Act allows, so keep it narrow and time-bound.
Does RAJUK accept any power of attorney?
For RAJUK plots, RAJUK has required its own prior approval for powers of attorney since 2023. The document should be drafted with that in mind.
Need a power of attorney from abroad?
Tell me what you want your attorney to do and send the property details. I will draft the document in the required format, tell you exactly what to take to the mission and handle MoFA attestation, stamping and registration in Dhaka.