Row breaks out during discussion on DAP
Monday, 14 June 2010
Bashundhara Group boss Ahmed Akbar Sobhan on Sunday went as far as reprimanding the state minister for public works at a government meeting with realtors over housing development.
The row broke out during a discussion on the Detailed Area Plan (DAP), the capital's real estate blueprint of sorts, developed by the city development regulator Rajuk, at the Secretariat, reports bdnews24.com.
Bangladesh Land Developers Association president Sobhan, also known as Shah Alam, burst out at one point and said to the housing and public works state minister, "You cannot do whatever you feel like just because you are a minister."
His sharp retort came after state minister Abdul Mannan Khan tried to justify 21 percent of Dhaka's area designated for water bodies according to the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha's DAP project, which provides an accurate demarcation of the capital.
The area plan marks different zones of Dhaka and identifies the areas designated for different uses, for instance real estate development, roads, parks and water bodies.
But the realtors were strongly opposed to the idea of leaving a fifth of the city area undeveloped and protested.
Khan said in reply that the ministry had had several meetings with the real estate businessmen.
He told the meeting that the government, along with Rajuk, would implement the area plan as presented at the meeting.
Realtors reacted questioning the potency of the plan itself since it would not allow much real estate development if such a large portion of the capital were left 'undeveloped'.
At that point, Shah Alam, vehemently protested and said that the government could not just expropriate private property flaunting the DAP at them.
He also claimed that the plan had not been discussed with the stakeholders.
Acting president of the Real Estate Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) Nasrul Hamid Bipu, also a ruling Awami League MP, said although Rajuk had discussed the matter with them, their opinions were never sought.
"This plan is unacceptable."
The public works state minister had admonished the land developers association, headed by Shah Alam, at another meeting in February calling them cheats, but not in so many words.
Suggesting that the land developers were like 'land pirates', Mannan had then said that these businessmen sold pipe dreams to people.
The row broke out during a discussion on the Detailed Area Plan (DAP), the capital's real estate blueprint of sorts, developed by the city development regulator Rajuk, at the Secretariat, reports bdnews24.com.
Bangladesh Land Developers Association president Sobhan, also known as Shah Alam, burst out at one point and said to the housing and public works state minister, "You cannot do whatever you feel like just because you are a minister."
His sharp retort came after state minister Abdul Mannan Khan tried to justify 21 percent of Dhaka's area designated for water bodies according to the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha's DAP project, which provides an accurate demarcation of the capital.
The area plan marks different zones of Dhaka and identifies the areas designated for different uses, for instance real estate development, roads, parks and water bodies.
But the realtors were strongly opposed to the idea of leaving a fifth of the city area undeveloped and protested.
Khan said in reply that the ministry had had several meetings with the real estate businessmen.
He told the meeting that the government, along with Rajuk, would implement the area plan as presented at the meeting.
Realtors reacted questioning the potency of the plan itself since it would not allow much real estate development if such a large portion of the capital were left 'undeveloped'.
At that point, Shah Alam, vehemently protested and said that the government could not just expropriate private property flaunting the DAP at them.
He also claimed that the plan had not been discussed with the stakeholders.
Acting president of the Real Estate Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) Nasrul Hamid Bipu, also a ruling Awami League MP, said although Rajuk had discussed the matter with them, their opinions were never sought.
"This plan is unacceptable."
The public works state minister had admonished the land developers association, headed by Shah Alam, at another meeting in February calling them cheats, but not in so many words.
Suggesting that the land developers were like 'land pirates', Mannan had then said that these businessmen sold pipe dreams to people.