The first-ever rule on construction of highrise buildings has been sent to the law ministry for final approval. After examining the legal aspects of the rule, the law ministry will declare it as a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) under which the entire construction sector of high-rise building would be regulated in the city.

Representatives from Rajuk, the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB), the institute of Architects, Bangladesh, (IAB), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) were present in the meeting. Public Works and Housing Secretary Aminur Rahman presided over the meeting.

RAJUK submitted the draft to the ministry of housing and public works in August 2002. But the ministry sat on it for about a year. Later, different professional bodies related to the sector included their opinions in the rule.

On July 21 last, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works sent a letter to the IAB, REHAB, BUET and the IEI to come up with suggestions and revisions of the draft of the rule, if any, by July 31 last.

Afterwards, a number of discussions were held and the ministry agreed in principle to include some of their suggestions.

"Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is an addition to the draft. If one wants to construct a high-rise building one will have to keep adequate space around it depending on the FAR," said a senior official of Rajuk who attended the meeting.

"The rule has made mandatory for car parking for the buildings in a way so that the builders cannot get away without it," said the Rajuk official.

"In our preliminary examination, we had found a lot anomalies in the draft. If we had more time we would come up with more positive suggestions for the draft. Many of the clauses are not applicable to the context of our country," alleged a member of REHAB.

The Ministry also sent the initially approved Private Housing Law to the law ministry for final approval.