Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu said “Part of the challenge of modernization is standard setting. The government led by Sheikh Hasina is precisely doing that.”Hopefully in the future there would be no such need and all sectors would regulate themselves, he said.
“Nobody is above law. Politicians, businessmen, journalists – all have to be accountable in a democracy, “he added.
The information minister said this on Saturday while speaking as the chief guest at a media award giving ceremony organized by REHAB, the organization of real estate businessmen, at the CIRDAP auditorium.
Referring to the role of media, he said, “It can play the role of a great communicator between the customers and real estate businessmen, ” “By providing genuine information about the real estate sector media persons can greatly help facilitate the growth of the economy, “he added.
There is no reason to assume that the media is in an adversarial role vis-a-vis business. But it is part of their responsibility to identify the deviations, failings and other inadequacies of the real estate sector, he added.
Delving on the real estate sector’s problems the minister said, “The government is aware of the “bust” in the sector and is trying its best to boost it”.
He said that the lack of gas connection is among the principal reasons for the current state of the sector. He hoped that the government’s current drive to bring discipline in gas distribution would go some way in improving the situation.
The minister also proposed lowering bank interest rates to facilitate purchase of flats which he thought would go a long way in increasing demand.
“So far financing for flat purchase is limited to the House Building Finance Corporation, the commercial banks should also come forward to enable such purchases,” Inu said.
The function was presided by REHAB president, Alamgir Shamsul Al Amin. Twenty journalists, 10 each from the print and electronic media were awarded the REHAB Award for Best Journalist -2013.
