The Jatiya Sangsad has passed the Transfer of Property (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing new provisions to protect elderly parents and grandparents who transfer property to their children. The amendment responds to widespread cases of abuse under the existing framework, where the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, and traditional gift mechanisms like Heba required an immediate and total surrender of ownership and possession once a gift deed was signed. This left elderly donors legally powerless if their children later neglected, abused, or evicted them, as illustrated by cases such as 75-year-old Yad Ali in Jamalpur, who was beaten and driven from his home after transferring his land, and 84-year-old Barik Gazi in Jashore, whose sons seized his land and demolished his living quarters.

The new law inserts Sections 122A and 122B into the 1882 Act, creating a mechanism called 'Gift reserving life interest.' This allows parents, grandparents, or spouses to transfer ownership of property while legally retaining the right to reside in, use, and benefit from it—including collecting rental income—for the rest of their lives. This right survives even if the recipient dies first, passing ownership to the recipient's heirs while preserving the donor's occupancy. Once registered, such gifts cannot be revoked unilaterally, though joint modification is possible for genuine need, with court approval required if a party is incapacitated. Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman described it as an optional civil route that strengthens social security for vulnerable elderly people without altering existing personal laws.