Shah Alam Nur :
More than 350 developers and housing companies are doing real estate business without obtaining any permission from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), sources said.
As a result, people are being cheated while buying land from such unauthorised companies or giving advance booking for the same with them. Though many invested their hard earned money to buy plots and flats, they are not getting their return.
As per the existing provision, any land developer or a housing company is required to register its name with the RAJUK before doing any real estate business in the city.
“But most of the land development companies have been doing business without RAJUK’s approval,” Abdur Rahman, Director of RAJUK, told The New Nation on Thursday.
He said more than 350 companies were involved with real estate business, but only 13 companies got final approval from the RAJUK.
He said that the RAJUK had put on display a list of approved land development and housing schemes for information of the public.
However, although the RAJUK had displayed the list of legal projects, it did not display the list of ongoing illegal private projects.
In the recent time, the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of land was informed in a meeting that 21 unauthorised companies have grabbed more than 700 acres of state-owned Khas land in Dhaka city and surrounding areas.
Source said that many of the companies were selling land though RAJUK put on display the list of only the legal projects to protect the member of the public from falling prey to such manipulative publicity.
In 2011, the court declared 77 housing projects illegal and also ordered the RAJUK to take measures against the illegal projects but still the RAJUK could not show any visible progress.
A former president of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) said that the RAJUK could not play their proper role in checking illegal projects doing business.
He said the RAJUK could have played a much more pro-active role to protect the customers’ rights.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said that the RAJUK should also display the list of illegal projects alongside the list of legal projects.
He said the RAJUK had to take stern action against the unscrupulous housing companies to protect the general customers from any forgery.
Nearly 40 per cent of the customers, who are buying land, plots or flats, are being cheated by the dishonest land developers and housing companies, he added.
General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Dr MA Matin said RAJUK does not play the effective role which is expected from them.
He said “It should have challenged the clearances of other agencies because the developers have destroyed the character of the land and its use.
The unauthorised projects of the housing companies are in gross violations of the laws, he said.
He said unauthorised’ housing projects have been undertaken by filling rivers, canals, flood plains, retention ponds, lakes and low-lying lands.
