Corruption in allotment of plots, flats has been prevented: Housing ministry

It has been possible to prevent irregularities, corruption and nepotism in allotment of plots and flats by amending the plot allocation rules and directives of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and the National Housing Authority, said a press release of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works yesterday (13 August).

The release has highlighted the various activities and achievements taken by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and its subordinate agencies in the past year of the current interim government.

It was informed that the discriminatory quota system prescribed for various professionals, including ministers, members of parliament, judges, government officials, lawyers, and journalists, has been cancelled, and the opportunity for multiple members of the same family to get plots and flats has been cancelled.

A three-member investigation committee has been formed in light of the directives of the High Court Division to investigate the irregularities and corruption in the allocation of plots, flats or spaces by the RAJUK from January 2009 to July 2024.

The activities of this investigation committee are currently ongoing.

The allocation of 12 luxury flats in the Dhanmondi residential area, illegally allotted by the National Housing Authority in the names of former ACC commissioners, former secretaries, former district judges and influential senior government officials, has been cancelled.

To establish the 'July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum', the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has registered and transferred 17.47 acres of land and buildings in the former Ganabhaban Complex area in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in favour of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

The development activities of the museum are ongoing under the supervision of the Public Works Department and the Architecture Department.

The National Housing Authority has taken an initiative to construct 820 residential flats in the Mirpur area of Dhaka and 1,560 residential flats for the families of the martyrs of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement-2024 under the '36 July' residential flat construction project to provide permanent housing to the families of the martyrs of the July Uprising. These two projects are awaiting approval by the ECNEC.

In order to preserve the memory of the July Uprising, a total of nine July Martyrs' Monument, including one in Shahabagh in the capital and eight at the district level, have already been completed under the supervision of the Public Works Department, and the construction of monuments is underway in the remaining 55 district towns.

For the purpose of planned urbanisation, the drafts of the Barishal Unnayan Kartripakkha Ordinance, 2025, Rangpur Unnayan Kartripakkha Ordinance, 2025 and Mymensingh Unnayan Kartripakkha Ordinance, 2025 have been prepared, and the final approval process is underway.

In addition, the draft of the Spatial Planning Ordinance, 2025 and the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha Ordinance, 2025 have been formulated.

Initiatives have been taken to construct 836 flats in Azimpur, Dhaka, to resolve the housing crisis of low-paid government employees.

Five projects taken by the previous fascist government that were against the public interest have been cancelled. This has saved the government a total of Tk 426.37 crore.

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has initially identified 282 irregularities and corruption related to the income and expenditure accounts and plot or flat allocation for the years 2009-2024 in the National Housing Authority through special audit activities, and legal action is underway against all these irregularities.

In addition, special audit activities are underway to identify irregularities and corruption in the RAJUK. In order to speed up administrative activities, 494 employees from grades 14 to 20 have been appointed in the Public Works Department, and 35 employees in the Architecture Department.

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has dismissed a total of 11 officers of the Public Works Department and the Department of Architecture, including executive engineers, sub-divisional engineers and assistant architects, from their jobs on charges of misconduct.

In addition, departmental cases have been filed against 25 officers accused of irregularities and corruption in the much-discussed Rooppur Green City project, and necessary action is being taken against them.

The departmental case proceedings against them were stalled during the previous government's tenure.

In order to resolve the office space crisis inside the Secretariat, the construction of two buildings, 15-storey and 20-storey, has been completed quickly and handed over to the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Public Administration.

In addition, the floors damaged in the fire in the 7-storey building of the Secretariat have been quickly renovated and repaired and handed over to the concerned ministry, and administrative activities have started on the floors.

Various government establishments across the country, including the Prime Minister's Office, BTV Bhaban, Setu Bhaban, Department of Disaster Management, Uttara Thana Bhaban, which were damaged in the July uprising, have been renovated and repaired and handed over to the relevant departments.

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has taken the initiative to abolish this type of prior approval system to eliminate the harassment and suffering caused by the obligation of the beneficiaries of plots or flats leased by various development authorities, departments or organisations under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works to obtain prior approval for various services including post-lease property transfer, name transfer or general power of attorney.

In order to eliminate the harassment and suffering caused by the obligation of obtaining prior approval for various services including post-lease property transfer, name transfer or general power of attorney, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has taken the initiative to abolish this type of prior approval practice for the beneficiaries of plots or flats leased by various development authorities, departments or organisations under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.

In order to bring transparency, accountability and dynamism in the work of the Public Works Department, to ensure proper human resource management and to improve the quality of citizen services, the Transfer and Posting Policy-2025 for the officers of the Department is in the final stage for approval.

In order to train them with the necessary knowledge, skills and moral foundation to face contemporary challenges, to make the best use of resources and to maintain the highest standards of professionalism, the Training Policy-2025 for all levels of the Public Works Department is in the final stage for approval.

In order to bring dynamism to the activities of the Public Works Department under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Works and to perform government functions efficiently, a total of 311 posts, including 107 permanent cadre posts and 204 temporary posts for deputy assistant engineers and support staff, have been created in the revenue sector.