An incomplete work of a building after construction work. — FE Photo Our Correspondent
RAJSHAHI, Jan 6: Due to malpractice and whims of some so-called 'developers', owners of land (plot), construction-material (hardware) traders and flat purchasers under Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) area were turning paupers. Though those developers were signing contracts with the owners of land and construction-material traders to finish construction of the flats within a certain period of time under Public Private Partnership initiative, they were leaving those untouched for years.
After starting of construction work of a flat or building, the developers were leaving it unfinished and signing contract with another party. In such way, they were signing contracts with new parties one after another and leaving the construction works unfinished year after year.
For the same reason, the buyers of the flats were not getting possession of those and owners of lands were also being deprived of getting price of those flats or their due share of flats.
An owner of a flat at sector-2 of Upashahar area requesting anonymity informed, his flat construction remained unfinished for more than five years.
Professor Altaf Hossain, former Pro-Vice Chancellor of Rajshahi University informed he dealt a contract with TH Happy Nir Developer Limited years ago to complete his flat. Only half of the construction has so far been finished but the owner of the construction farm remained beyond contact for a long time.
Most of the developers of Rajshahi were continuing their billions of Taka worth 'properties' business' on fraud, without any fund. It is even said that some of such developers have only a motor bike and a car as their capital.
Using the car they were visiting various hardware and construction materials shops and showing their business cards they were procuring construction materials from there on credit and without repaying any price of those continuing their business years after years.
Meanwhile, failing to realise the outstanding dues, those construction material traders were turning paupers.
A rod and cement trader of Upashahar area informed he owes Tk 1.8 million from TH Developer and failing to realise the dues in proper time, his shop was on the verge of closure.
At the same time the owner of land also become the hostage of situation by striking a deal with the developer. According to deal, the owner of the land has to pay a certain amount of cash money to the developer primarily. Some land owners who do not have cash money, used to borrow advance money from the willing plot purchasers and repay those to the developers aiming at finishing the construction works of their flats at a shortest possible time.
But, after receiving the money, the developers were leaving the construction works unfinished for years and thus harassing both the flat owners and the willing plot buyers.
The construction works of six buildings of Rajshahi City Corporation remained unfinished for last eight years. Traders involved with this building had invested millions of taka under Public Private Partnership deal and they are now incurring a huge loss. Though the tenure of finishing the construction works has been lapsed years ago, RCC remained reluctant to finish the works.
As a result, RCC was also being deprived of earning huge revenue at the same time traders and contractors who invested a huge amount of money for the construction works were also turning paupers. The construction works were supposed to finish by April-1, 2014 but RCC was continuing to extend time frame of the developer.
Ashraful Haque, Chief Executive Engineer of RCC in this connection informed, the land owners under city corporation area may take RCC as a mediator before striking any deal with any developer but in most cases such deal is not done. As a result, RCC authorities have nothing to do in this connection.
Abul Kalam Azad, Authorised Officer of RDA informed, those who are cheating the land owners by the name of construction of flats are mostly non-listed developers that is why RDA has nothing to do in this connection but the land owners can take step against those developers in accordance with the deal they strike with them.
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