Dhaka, March 4 -- State Minister for Land Kayser Kamal had to wait for about half an hour on the veranda of a land office in Narayanganj's Siddhirganj after arriving for a surprise inspection and finding no officials present.

The minister reached the Siddhirganj Union Land Office shortly after 9am on Wednesday.

Although the main gate of the office was open, no officials or staff were at their desks and their rooms were found locked.

Journalists present at the scene said the minister arrived about five minutes after the official start of working hours, but no employees had yet reported for duty.

He waited for around half an hour on a chair placed on the office veranda. Several members of the public who had come to seek land services we...