Dhaka:A significant shift in the approval process for building construction and land use has been implemented in Dhaka, as the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) has fully digitised its application and approval procedures across its eight zones.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, from March to September, RAJUK received 7,055 online applications for planning permits, approving 5,393. Additionally, 3,930 applications for construction permits were submitted, with 2,600 approvals. This amounts to a total of 10,985 applications submitted and 7,993 approved over seven months.
RAJUK officials have established deadlines for processing permits 30 days for planning permits and 24 days for construction permits. Applicants are notified online about missing documentation, improving service speed and transparency. The RAJUK Chairman, Engineer Md Reazul Islam, noted that prior inefficiencies and harassment in obtaining permits have been mitigated through this digitisation.
Efforts are ongoing to digitise all RAJUK services, with future plans to include tendering and estate operations. Despite these advances, some processes, such as the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs), remain manual, affecting the overall approval timeline. RAJUK's Chief Urban Planner, Engineer Md. Ashraful Islam, highlighted the benefits of a unified digital platform to enhance efficiency and reduce approval times.