No decision is yet to come, but it is learnt that the government is going to levy financial charge for allowing commercial bodies to be there if other requirements of law are fulfilled.
Sources said the government has backtracked on its move to evict all commercial establishments from city’s residential areas in the face of resistance from various quarters, including businesses.
Business leaders earlier urged the government to halt the drive citing the move puts at risk billions in investment and employment of hundreds of thousands of people.
“The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has taken a ‘go slow policy’ over the removal of unauthorised commercial establishments on city’s residential plots after the government decision,” a senior Rajuk official told The New Nation on Tuesday.
“We have earlier planned for a nonstop drive to evict illegal commercial entities, including restaurants, educational institutions and hospitals to follow a Cabinet decision. But now we came out from the decision as the government showed a ‘hesitant mood’ in this regard.”
The official said that the drive against illegal establishments on residential plots in the city has already been stopped. The government’s fresh move to accommodate the commercial establishments there leads us to halt the drive.
“We will not go for further eviction drive unless a new directive is issued from the government,” he added.
Architect Iqbal Habib told The New Nation that these residential areas were developed following Garden City Movement with self-contained communities surrounded by “greenbelts”.
But Rajuk and the city corporation didn’t enforce law properly to stop the construction of commercial establishments. So, the problems that got complicated over the last 40 years cannot be solved overnight.
He suggested engaging professionals in developing a Smart City with necessary changes, planning and rectification.
On April 4, the Cabinet set a six-month deadline for the removal of commercial outlets from residential plots and buildings. The deadline has expired recently.
