There are more than 6,000 abandoned houses in Dhaka city, said Housing and Public Works Minister RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury in parliament today.

"There are 6,372 abandoned houses in the capital city," he said, replying to a question from independent lawmaker Muhammad Saiful Islam (Dhaka-19).

According to data placed by the minister in the House, the highest 3,582 abandoned houses are in Mirpur, while 1,542 are in Mohammadpur.

Other abandoned houses include 128 in Gulshan, nine in Banani, 62 in Moghbazar, 36 in Tejgaon, 19 in Nakhalpara, 26 in Cantonment, 38 in Basabo, 10 in Shahjahanpur, 12 in Khilgaon, two in Jurain, 72 in Motijheel, 158 in Ramna, 320 in Sutrapur, 174 in Lalbagh, 46 in Kotwali, 88 in Dhanmondi, 25 in Lalmatia, four in Jatrabari and one in Maniknagar.

The minister said some abandoned houses are being used to construct residential flats while the saleable abandoned houses are being sold to individuals, institutions, family of martyred freedom fighters, war-wounded freedom fighters and others with the permission of the PM.

In the last three financial years, some Tk 12.68 crore were realised as rents from abandoned houses in Dhaka city, while some Tk 2.31 crore was collected from sales, he added.