Control of house rent demanded

25 November 2011, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

National Citizen Society (NCS) in a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club yesterday demanded enforcing the law to halt the uncontrolled increase in house rent. They said 80 percent of around 15 million city dwellers are living in rented houses. The owners, defying the law, increase rent leaving the renters in worst situation, said a press release. House rent increased alarmingly during the last 21 years while Dhaka City Corporation did not increase income tax, they further said. According to the House Rent Control Act, 1991, house owners cannot arbitrarily increase rents and evict their tenants without prior notice. They have to sign an agreement with the tenants before renting and provide receipts of payment. Dhaka Human Rights Commission Chairman Ali Ahmed, former parliament member Prof Humayun Kabir Hiru, among others, took part while NCS Chairman Muhammad Nasir Uddin Munshi was in the chair.