Govt to build 1 lakh flats, Mulls 11,000 plots in 3 housing projects

The government will construct over 1.03 lakh apartments and create over 11,000 residential plots in three government housing projects in the capital's suburbs in an effort to resolve an acute housing problem in the city.

State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan yesterday disclosed the plan to the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry at a meeting in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The parliamentary watchdog committee also formed a three-member sub-committee to look into alleged encroachment on city lakes.

ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, chairman of the committee, told reporters that the sub-committee was asked to submit its report within a month.

A different report submitted by the housing ministry to the committee, said 11,104 residential plots will be created in three residential projects -- Uttara, Purbachol, and Jhilimili.

The government will also build over 1,03,280 different types of apartments in those housing projects.

The report added that 62,000 of those apartments will be built under Purbachol Project, 21,000 will be built under Uttara Project, and 20,280 will be built under Jhilimili Project.

The state minister said the apartments will be distributed through a 'transparent process'.

The ministry report also said an additional 3,380 apartments will be built in Mirpur and Mohakhali for government employees.

The committee asked the chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) to submit a detailed report on how many and which apartment buildings were built on lands that were developed by filling up sections of lakes in the city's Gulshan, Banani and Uttara areas.

It also decided to publish a list of government residential plots which were re-allotted during the last BNP-led four-party alliance government and the successive immediate past caretaker government.

The committee asked the National Housing Authority to take steps to reclaim 130 acres of government land in Mirpur area, which were encroached upon by Sagufta Housing Company, Haveli Properties, and some other individuals.

Emerging from the meeting Mannan Khan told reporters that the government is also determined to complete the Hatirjheel Project within the deadline of June 2010 by any means.

He said steps will be taken so people who will be affected by the water body reclamation project can be compensated.

The immediate past caretaker government initiated Hatirjheel Project in 2007 to clear illegal structures in Hatirjheel and Begunbari areas which used to be major outlets for the city's wastewater.

The Awami League government is continuing the project which includes protection of water bodies, construction of roads, and beautification of the area.

Land acquisition for the project is almost complete, the state minister said.

The government already handed over around Tk 488 crore to the deputy commissioner of Dhaka to compensate the people who will lose their land due to the implementation of the Hatirjheel Project.