Dhaka: It has been possible to prevent irregularities, corruption, and nepotism in the allotment of plots and flats by amending the plot allocation rules and directives of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and the National Housing Authority, stated a press release from the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the press release highlighted various activities and achievements undertaken by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and its subordinate agencies over the past year. The discriminatory quota system for various professionals, including ministers, members of parliament, judges, government officials, lawyers, and journalists, has been canceled. Additionally, the opportunity for multiple members of the same family to receive plots and flats has been revoked.
A three-member investigation committee has been established, based on directives from the High Court Division, to investigate irregularities and corruption in the allocation of plots, flats, or spaces by RAJUK from January 2009 to July 2024. The committee’s activities are currently ongoing.
The allocation of 12 luxury flats in the Dhanmondi residential area, illegally allotted by the National Housing Authority to former ACC commissioners, former secretaries, former district judges, and influential senior government officials, has been canceled. Furthermore, to establish the ‘July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum,’ the Ministry has registered and transferred 17.47 acres of land and buildings in the former Ganabhaban Complex area in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
The National Housing Authority has initiated plans to construct 820 residential flats in the Mirpur area of Dhaka and 1,560 residential flats for the families of martyrs of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement-2024 under the ’36 July’ residential flat construction project. These projects await approval by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
To preserve the memory of the July Uprising, nine July Martyrs’ Monuments, including one in Shahbagh and eight at the district level, have been completed under the supervision of the Public Works Department. Construction is ongoing in the remaining 55 district towns. For planned urbanization, drafts of the Barishal, Rangpur, and Mymensingh Unnayan Kartripakkha Ordinances, 2025, have been prepared, with final approval in progress.
The Ministry also identified 282 irregularities and corruption instances related to income, expenditure accounts, and plot or flat allocation from 2009-2024 in the National Housing Authority through special audits. Legal actions are underway. Special audits are also ongoing to identify irregularities in RAJUK.
In addressing administrative challenges, the Ministry appointed 494 employees in the Public Works Department and 35 in the Architecture Department. Furthermore, 11 officers from these departments were dismissed for misconduct, and departmental cases were filed against 25 officers involved in irregularities in the Rooppur Green City project.
The Ministry has completed the construction of two buildings to resolve the office space crisis in the Secretariat, while fire-damaged floors in another building have been renovated and handed over. Renovation and repair works have also been conducted on various government establishments affected by the July uprising.
Efforts to eliminate harassment for beneficiaries of plots or flats leased by development authorities are underway, with the abolition of prior approval requirements for services like post-lease property transfer and name transfer. The Transfer and Posting Policy-2025 and Training Policy-2025 for the Public Works Department are in the final approval stages, aiming to improve service quality and resource management. Additionally, 311 posts have been created in the revenue sector to enhance departmental efficiency.