The High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued a rule seeking explanation as to why guidelines for determining house rents in all city corporations including Dhaka have not been formulated.

A HC bench headed by Justice Shikdar Mahmudur Razi issued the rule after primary hearing of a writ petition in this regard. The local government division’s secretary, Dhaka north and south city corporations’ authorities and other relevant officials have been asked to respond to the rule within four weeks. Advocate Parvez Hossain represented the petitioner during the hearing.

According to the lawyer, most residents in the capital live as tenants and a significant number of them struggle to pay their house rents. The annual rise in house rent has become a persistent issue for many.

On 1 July 2015, the HC had directed the government to form a high-power commission tasked with recommending maximum and minimum standard house rents for different areas in the capital. That court order also suggested for updating the Premises Rent Control Act, 1991. On 1 December 2019, the HC issued another rule in this regard.

HC lawyer Md Kamruzzaman said, “It is unexpected that the-then government had not followed the HC order. The house rent in city areas should be regulated strictly. A commission should be formed immediately.”

Talking to the Daily Sun, rights activists and lawyer Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin said although the 1991 law provided some legal protection for tenants, it was not a strong and tenant-friendly act. “On top of that, this law is grossly ignored. The people do not understand the law so it is nothing but papers only.”