Construction Act
The Construction Act gazetted on 27th May 2008 and published on 29th May 2008, is no doubt appreciable in many a respect, but the new floor area ratio (FAR) seems to be unrealistic, in the context of our availability of land mass. The FAR table deserves revision for the benefit of the small landowners. As per the FAR, small landowners possessing up to 10 katha or less have to keep almost 50% of the plot vacant all around to conform to the new regulations. It is simply not feasible to construct a liveable house by the land owners/developers on the plots measuring up to 5 katha or less. We have come to know through media that large number of applications filed by such landowners is pending, awaiting approval of the offices of Rajuk in view of above provisions.
Our population versus land ratio in this mega city is beyond all proportions. As it is, Dhaka city is one of the most populated cities of the world. Land is so scarce and costly! Hence our basic policy should be optimum utilisation of land to meet the ever-growing demands for housing while taking care of the environmental requirements etc. Our planners have to be pragmatic considering our demographic requirements. While formulating the FAR table no consideration was made for the places where height restrictions apply. Probably it was not even thought of.
The age-old ratio of 20:80 was most suitable to our typical requirements. But the last BNP government towards the end period of their tenure, with an ulterior motive, temporarily changed it to 40:60 twice, only to exploit the common people and extort vast sum of illegal money. Indescribable suffering of the approval seekers as well as right and left corruption inside Rajuk were reported through the then electronic media. In all probability coming to power they would have reverted to the old rules.
The building development sectors do employ vast number of workers and generate economic activities. Through the media we also saw some silver lining in the cloud that the present elected government under the Housing Ministry have already taken the anomaly to notice and assured revision of the above provision in the gazette. Majority of the landowners are of smaller areas measuring from 2 to 10 katha. If the rule is revised in favour of the age old provision of FAR 20:80 for plots measuring up to 10 katha or less, the majority people will be benefited. Most of us earned a piece of land with our life time income with a dream that one day we shall have our own multi-storeyed building, where we also may be able to induct many tenants.
I, being a NRB having a plot of land of less than 10 katha located in the vicinity of the old Tejgaon Airport, where height restrictions do apply, have been waiting with patience and hope that one day an elected popular government voted to power, will reconsider and review this impractical FAR. Since the media report, I have been browsing the dailies with a hope of looking for the good news. May I as well as others like me hope that this appeal of mine will not go in vain and today or tomorrow we shall hear the good news that we all have been craving for and soon we may be able to start the construction works on our respective lands.
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