Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Undertakings yesterday sought explanations from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) about which authority oversees the Bashundhara Residential Area and the process through which land is bought and sold there.
The questions arose during the committee’s fourth meeting held in the Cabinet Room of the National Parliament Complex, chaired by its Chairman and Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni.
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According to sources present at the meeting, several committee members discussed the Bashundhara area issue during a review of Rajuk’s overall activities, including its housing and infrastructure development projects, financial management and audit reports.
One member said that traffic management in the area is handled by personnel employed by the Bashundhara Group, while land transactions require payment of commissions to the company.
Even obtaining a cable television connection reportedly requires going through the group, the member said, describing the situation as “a state within a state”.
Another source said a committee member sought clarification on who exercises control over the Bashundhara area and how permission is granted for buying or selling land there.
In response, Rajuk officials said that, on paper, the area falls under the jurisdiction of the city corporation. However, discussions at the meeting noted that the city corporation has yet to establish full control there.
A press release issued by the Parliament Secretariat said the meeting recommended ensuring, as soon as possible, the allocation of plots to people affected by land acquisition for the Purbachal New Town Project.
It also called for investigations into irregularities in previous plot allocations and the activities of middlemen, with necessary action to be taken against those responsible.
The committee further recommended expanding housing opportunities through the construction of high-rise apartment buildings instead of launching new land-based housing projects.
It recommended strict measures to prevent the construction of buildings in the capital in violation of approved plans, as well as unauthorised commercial activities in residential areas.
Rajuk was also instructed to strengthen oversight and conduct regular mobile court drives to prevent customer harassment by housing developers.
Emphasising planned and sustainable urbanisation, the committee stressed the need for integrated utility services and underground cable networks, fire safety measures in new commercial buildings, adequate restroom facilities and prayer spaces, and the conservation of Dhaka’s lakes. It also recommended assessing the feasibility of expanding solar power use across the capital.
The committee expressed concern over delays in audit processes and urged the adoption of modern digital systems to expedite audits and resolve audit objections.
Among the committee members who attended the meeting were Whip Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Apu, Whip Md Akhtaruzzaman Mia, Tahsina Rushdir, Khondaker Abu Ashfaq, Mohammad Kaysar Ahmed, Biswas Jahangir Alam, Mustafizur Rahman Bhuiyan and Mohammad Kamal Hossain.
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