Amended rules soon to stop unplanned urbanisation

The government is going to amend rules to stop unplanned urbanisation across the country as the current rules for private housing projects are only applicable for the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) areas.
Housing companies across the country would have to get approval from authorities concerned to develop and advertise their projects after the rules are amended.
The Private Housing Project Land Development Rules-2004 now covers only 1,528 square km under Rajuk, said an official of housing and public works ministry requesting anonymity.
Experts say that land development activities and housing projects have been going on in an unplanned manner cutting hills and destroying farmlands as there are no housing project rules, except one for the Rajuk area. They say that this has caused unplanned urbanisation.
Project owners often advertise their projects so people are tempted to buy plots. The buyers in many cases are deceived by the adverts, said the housing ministry official.
Housing and public works ministry recently formed a committee for making recommendations on what to amend in the rules and the committee is now working on it, the official said adding that the committee would submit its report within this month.
"The rules are very essential as land development activities of different housing companies have been going on unabated not only in Rajuk area but also in other areas in the country including Habiganj, Sylhet, Khulna and Tangail causing unplanned urbanisation," the official said.
The government formulated Private Housing Project Development Rules-2004 to regulate the activities of private housing companies within Rajuk areas.
Director (programmes) of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association Syeda Rizwana Hasan said unplanned land development has been going on throughout the country and an amendment of the rules is essential to regulate private housing companies' activities.
"In Sylhet, land development activities for housing projects have been going on by cutting many hillocks and developers are constructing housing projects on many farmlands in Khulna and Tangail," she said.
"If the government amends the rules to regulate the activities of these housing companies then it is a good thing but if it is being formulated so that government officials can collect toll, then it will be a very bad thing," she said.
After the Private Housing Project Development Rules-2004 was formulated, Rajuk earlier did not take any actions against the housing companies, rather they used the rules as means for collecting toll from the companies, she went on to say.
Even though the Private Housing Project Development Rules-2004 does not allow ad campaigns of Rajuk-unapproved housing projects, the rule was not implemented, said Rizwana adding that after a long time the present government has implemented the ban on such ad campaigns.
An official of Rajuk said housing projects in Rajuk area which were developed by filling land of the sub-flood flow zones and flood flow zones are now having trouble getting the necessary approval.
Nineteen housing companies, mostly prominent housing companies, have so far failed to get approval from Rajuk as they could not submit required documents in line with the Private Housing Project Development Rules-2004, said Chairman of Rajuk KAM Haroon.
If the amendment is done properly, many housing projects across the country will fail to get approval from the government, said an official of the housing ministry.
The housing projects which are facing trouble in getting approval from Rajuk are: Green Model Town and Ashulia Model Town of Amin Mohammad Land Development Ltd, Natundhara Abashik Prakalpa of Natun Dhaka Housing Ltd, Pink City Abashik Prakalpa of Jenovelly Model Town, Rupayan Abashan-1 and Rupayan City North of Rupayan Housing Estate Ltd, Modhumoti Model Town of Metromakers and Development Ltd, Basundhara River View Project of East West Property Development Ltd, Ashian Abashik Prakalpa of Ashian Land Development Ltd, Shagufta Abashik Prakalpa of NM Housing Ltd, Sunvalley Abashik Prakalpa of Shawdesh Propertise Ltd, East Town, North Town and South Town of Bangladesh Development Company Ltd, Navana Real Estate Ltd and Navana Bhuiyan City-2 of Navana Real Estate Ltd, Reyalence Development Association Ltd, Rainbow Town Abashik Prakalpa and Rajdhani Abashik Prakalpa of Concord Land Development Ltd.