BSS, Dhaka :
Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain Sunday said the government is mulling over formulating a law to stop housing on arable lands.
“The government is constructing planned housing on non-arable lands. But, the people especially the rich men are building houses and factories on arable lands haphazardly . . . So, the agriculture ministry has been requested to formulate the law to save the farmlands,” he added.
The minister revealed the plan at a dialogue organized by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters’ Forum (BSRF) at the Secretariat Media Centre here.
Engineer Mosharraf said the government is determined to build the Purbachal Housing project as a planned residential area.
“No commercial establishments would be allowed in the residential areas of Purbachal. We’ve kept separate space for shops, offices, educational institutions and playgrounds there,” he added,
The minister said, “If needs law would be formulated to bar those in the residential areas.”
He informed that all new projects would have more apartments than the number of plots. The minister said bakery and grocery shops as well as commercial places like guesthouses and hotels have been established in city’s most of the residential areas especially Gulshan, which is not acceptable.
He said since many years a good number of guesthouses and hotels like Lakeshore and Six Seasons have been constructed in Gulshan, which is totally illegal, and the government high up has to take necessary measures against this.
“The ministry has discussed the issues with RAJUK to find out ways to address it,” Mosharraf added.
Urging the city dwellers to follow the RAJUK’s plan while constructing any structure in the city, he said: “RAJUK in its plan suggests the owners to construct building at least 5 feet away from the footpath, but the owners do it adjacent to the footpath defying the RAJUK plan. . . When RAJUK moves to bulldoze those, owners go to court.”
The minister sought cooperation from the owners to beautify the city.
About the government’s process of relocating the Secretariat beside the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC), Mosharraf said they have completed the design and work would be started immediately after getting fund.
“The new secretariat building will be green with separate accommodation for each ministry and there will be a plenty of parking space,” he added.
Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain Sunday said the government is mulling over formulating a law to stop housing on arable lands.
“The government is constructing planned housing on non-arable lands. But, the people especially the rich men are building houses and factories on arable lands haphazardly . . . So, the agriculture ministry has been requested to formulate the law to save the farmlands,” he added.
The minister revealed the plan at a dialogue organized by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters’ Forum (BSRF) at the Secretariat Media Centre here.
Engineer Mosharraf said the government is determined to build the Purbachal Housing project as a planned residential area.
“No commercial establishments would be allowed in the residential areas of Purbachal. We’ve kept separate space for shops, offices, educational institutions and playgrounds there,” he added,
The minister said, “If needs law would be formulated to bar those in the residential areas.”
He informed that all new projects would have more apartments than the number of plots. The minister said bakery and grocery shops as well as commercial places like guesthouses and hotels have been established in city’s most of the residential areas especially Gulshan, which is not acceptable.
He said since many years a good number of guesthouses and hotels like Lakeshore and Six Seasons have been constructed in Gulshan, which is totally illegal, and the government high up has to take necessary measures against this.
“The ministry has discussed the issues with RAJUK to find out ways to address it,” Mosharraf added.
Urging the city dwellers to follow the RAJUK’s plan while constructing any structure in the city, he said: “RAJUK in its plan suggests the owners to construct building at least 5 feet away from the footpath, but the owners do it adjacent to the footpath defying the RAJUK plan. . . When RAJUK moves to bulldoze those, owners go to court.”
The minister sought cooperation from the owners to beautify the city.
About the government’s process of relocating the Secretariat beside the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC), Mosharraf said they have completed the design and work would be started immediately after getting fund.
“The new secretariat building will be green with separate accommodation for each ministry and there will be a plenty of parking space,” he added.
