PM for building a transparent, investment-friendly housing sector

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said on Wednesday that the government is working to build a transparent, accountable, and investment-friendly environment for a planned, sustainable, and corruption-free housing sector in the country.

“The housing industry is one of the key drivers of the national economy. Its development is crucial to the country's overall economic growth. The government is working to create a transparent, accountable and investment-friendly environment to ensure that the housing sector develops in a planned, sustainable and corruption-free manner,” he said.

The Prime Minister made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with a delegation of the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) at the Cabinet Division of the Bangladesh Secretariat, said PM’s Assistant Press Secretary Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahriar.

He said the government has already undertaken a series of reform initiatives to prevent irregularities in the housing sector and is taking further effective measures to strengthen governance in the industry.

The premier also stressed that urbanisation should not remain Dhaka-centric, saying, “Urbanisation should not remain confined to Dhaka alone; other regions of the country must also be developed in a planned manner with equal importance.”

He also underscored the need to protect agricultural land while implementing development activities.

During the meeting, the REHAB delegation discussed the current state of the housing industry, challenges to planned urbanisation, practical issues arising from the implementation of the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) and proposals for the sector's long-term development.

The delegation urged the government to rationalise registration fees for land, plots and apartments, fully digitalise government services related to the housing sector, rationally increase the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and promote vertical urbanisation to ensure optimum use of limited land in the capital.

Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher Sumon, REHAB President Dr Ali Afzal, Vice-President-2 Abu Khalid Mohammad Barkatullah, Eastern Housing Limited Managing Director Md Aminul Karim Siddique, United Group Additional Managing Director Nizamuddin Hasan Rashid,  United Group Manager Mushfiqul Alam Khondaker, Rupayan Group Chairman Md Liaquat Ali Khan, Rupayan Group Co-Chairman Mahir Ali Khan Ratul, Amin Mohammad Group Executive Director Abul Kalam Md Rezaul Karim, Century Group Chairman Major General (retd) Nasir Majumder, US-Bangla Assets Limited Director Brigadier General (retd) Md Jalal Ghani Khan and Swadesh Properties Limited Managing Director MA Kaiyum, among others, were present at the meeting.