'Govt control hinders housing sector dev'

He said this at a publication ceremony of a journal on urban development after the real estate developers blamed the government agencies for causing problems at every stage.

The Real Estate & Housing Society of Bangladesh (REHAB) organised the publication ceremony of a special issue of the journal 'Sthapatya O Nirman' in the city.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

"The basic reason of such problems is corruption in the government offices," said Alamgir Kabir. "People are bound to suffer if the state offers facility only to a limited people."

The government control at every stage works as an obstacle to developing the housing sector, he said and called for reducing the government control.

At the ceremony, the speakers complained about bureaucratic tangle and dishonesty of the government employees.

Moreover, most of the government agencies do not have skilled professionals who could understand all technical aspects of a housing project, they said.

"The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkho (Rajuk) do not even have a permanent architect and always hire someone on ad-hoc basis," said architect Kazi Anisul Haque in his keynote paper that focussed on different problems and dimensions of housing sector.

The speakers said Dhaka has turned into a chaotic city due to lack of proper planning in urbanisation.

"The government is yet to prepare a 'detailed area plan' as mentioned in Dhaka Master Plan, 1995," said Dr. Towfique M. Seraz, president of Rehab.

Vice-Chancellor of Brac University Jamilur Reja Chowdhury stressed the need for a digital map of Dhaka city.

"People do not know which lands or wetlands can be filled up," he said, adding that a digital map can help them identify any structure built in unauthorised locations.

He also mentioned inconveniences in the private sector created by the government itself. "The ministry sometimes sends papers to non-existing committees for approval," he said.

Professor SMA Faiz, vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, Professor Golam Rahman, vice-chancellor of the United International University, Dr Azharul Haque, Ali Imam, MS Alam, Hasnine Khurshid, Abdul Mannan and Ekramuzzaman also spoke.