Bangladesh News

The public works and housing ministry in last minute deals has embarked on authorising leading real estate developers to fill up thousands of acres of flood flow zones, wetlands, retention ponds and natural canals in and around the capital, setting up stage for an environmental disaster.
Minister for Public Works and Housing Mirza Abbas however ruled out ‘any dubious deals’ in approving at least nine ‘unauthorised’ private housing development projects, which had been officially accused of flouting laws of the land.

Rajuk earlier filed cases against the developers of all these projects, accusing them of violating the wetland protection act 2000, private housing land development rules 2004, town improvement act 953 and Dhaka Master Plan. According to available documents, the Rajuk secretary wrote to the home secretary on September 17 seeking police action against the nine accused.

But barely eight days later, at a secret meeting at the works and housing ministry on September 25, the national committee headed by the housing minister approved the 1,247.30-acre Bashundhara-Baridhara housing project, a concern of the East West Properties Ltd, one of the nine developers in question.

Rajuk earlier filed at least two cases against the developer of this project. Sub-inspector of Badda Police Station Mohammad Abdul Gafur in his written submission to court in November 2002 stated that the developer was indeed filling up low-lying land violating clauses 5 and 8 of the wetland protection act.

But Muhammad Abu Sufian, a director of the East West Properties Ltd, told The Daily Star last night they are developing the sites taking the environmental aspect into consideration and following the private housing land development rules, 2004.

“When we started this Bashundhara-Baridhara project in 1987, there was no provision for obtaining any permission. It is true that a vast low-lying land up to the river Balu in the east is being filled up but we can assure that as per the master plan there will not be any environmental damage,” he said.

However, sources confided that the top shots at the housing ministry and Rajuk turned a blind eye to the environmental aspect in the deals, pocketing crores of taka. “The deals have been concluded with selected developers in exchange of staggering amount of bribes,” said one source.

In all these questionable cases, Rajuk sources said, the housing ministry kept on pressing Rajuk to initiate the process of approval of the private projects. On Wednesday, Rajuk sent a proposal to the ministry for approval of all the ‘unauthorised’ housing development projects of Eastern Housing Ltd. The proposal for Swadesh Properties was forwarded more than three weeks ago, the sources confirmed.

Asaduzzaman, vice chairman of Islam Group of Industries– the parent company of the Eastern Housing Ltd, yesterday ruled out the possibility of any dubious arrangement in getting permission for their housing projects. “We have applied for projects fulfilling all obligations,” he said.

Around 27 more illegal projects are also in the pipeline for ‘hurried approval’ before the BNP-led coalition government hands over power to caretaker government on expiry of its tenure on October 27.

When approached by this correspondent, Abbas flew off the handle and started using abusive words at the suggestion of anomalies in the deals. “I am the lone person who is trying to bring some discipline in this sector by implementing private housing land development rules,” he said.

“Can you control these influential developers? Could you do anything to stop them over the years despite police cases?” he asked acidly. “You can keep on writing whatever you want, I am doing my job.”

Over the last several years, most of these top land developers defied the relevant laws and official bans, and continued to fill up vast low-lying areas.

According to environmentalists, if all these developers now get authorisation to do so, the capital and its suburbs will face an environmental disaster. These developers have bought, often applying force on small landowners, almost all low lying lands that are clearly earmarked as flood flow zones, retention ponds, canals and riverbanks.

Meanwhile, at a street demonstration on Thursday under the banner of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), leading environmentalists protested the government move and said the authorisation to plunder wetlands would doom the city.

“The government cannot violate the laws of the country. Earth filling of flood flow zones, wetlands and retention ponds will just render the capital city unliveable and bring about utter environmental disaster,” said Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Bapa vice president.

Former adviser to caretaker government SM Shahjahan said the government must go by law and refrain from legalising unauthorised housing projects.

When contacted, Public Works Secretary Iqbal Uddin Chowdhury said they (the ministry) are now examining the proposals that have been forwarded to the ministry. “After examining those, we will determine whether these developers qualify for approval or not.”

Zahurul Haq, town planner of Rajuk and also member-secretary of the national approval committee on private housing project development, said Rajuk has just placed the projects before the committee, mentioning all the violations. Now, it is up to the committee to approve or disapprove those.”

According to official documents, Rajuk filed a case (No 54) with Demra police against Amin Mohammad Land Projects on March 20, a case with Sabujbagh police on September 14 this year and another case (No 520) with Savar police on April 26 last year.

It filed a case with Khilkhet police against Jamuna Builders on August 16, 2005, and a GD (No779) with Turag police against Uttaran Project of Mission Energy and Properties Ltd on June 22 this year.

A GD (No 897) was filed with Shah Ali Police Station against Tamanna River view Project of Baitul Aman Bahumukhi Samity Ltd.

Rajuk also filed similar GD (No 143/06) with Badda police against Basumati project of Hirajheel Properties Development Ltd on July 3 this year.