Weekend crowds gather at Ctg REHAB fair to buy flats

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Special Correspondent | Published: March 16, 2019 22:16:20

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CHATTOGRAM, Mar 16: A large number of visitors gathered at the housing fair of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) on Friday and Saturday, the two weekly holidays.
The crowds flocked to Radison Blu hotel in the port city - the venue of the REHAB Fair 2019 - especially in the afternoon and evening, and many of them went there with their friends and family members.
A good number of prospective buyers were also among them.
Many people were seen visiting stalls and discussing about the rates of new flats offered by different real estate companies despite there are allegations of dilly-dallying in handing over flats to some of the buyers by a section of developers who sold the houses to them earlier.
Chattogram-based businessman S M Neaimul Haque, who went to the venue with the hope to buy a flat from a developer at a reasonable cost, said: "I am trying to procure a flat within my budget."
"However, I hope that I will get the flat from the fair," he added.
Some prospective customers also alleged charging of exorbitant prices for flats by some companies and high registration fees by the authorities.
Manager of NCC Bank, CEPZ branch, Ismail Hossain Morshed, visited the fair on Friday.
Talking to the FE, Morshed said: "Many buyers are buying flats from the fair. But, the registration cost and overall costs of flats is high. However, our bank and financial institutes are providing loan facilities for the buyers."
Abdullah Al Harun, one of the buyers, said he purchased a flat from a real estate company long before but has not yet got its possession from them.
"Not only that company many of our relatives who procured flats from other developers are suffering and facing harassment by the company staffs now," he alleged.
Saifuddin Ahamed who was at the venue to buy a flat, said: "There is no law in favour of the customers, but in favour of the developers."
Director of GEM Group and one of the organisers of the fair Mahabub Sobhan Jalal Tanvir said: "There is an arbitration committee of REHAB to settle the disputes among buyers and developer companies. If anybody has any allegation, he can submit (that) to REHAB and the committee will take action in this regard."
Vice President of REHAB and Chairman of its Chattogram Regional Committee Abdul Kaium Chowdhury said the fair is creating a bridge between buyers, real estate companies and financial institutes.
"The fair is opening the door of realisation of dreams of buyers as well as creating the bond among buyers and developers," he said.
Chowdhury said this year's four-day REHAB fair is the 12th edition of the exposition.
"The fair is almost successful. A total of 76 developer companies and banks have taken part in the fair in the current year," he said.
He said the organisers have arranged special programmes in observance of the birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
"We are arranging art competition, rally and one month's food for 100 street children in observance of the day," said Chowdhury.
"All developer companies should be member of REHAB (and the) government should approve the laws in this regard for our clients as well as developer companies," he added.
In spite of many allegations, there are numerous people who thronged the REHAB fair 2019 trying to procure a flat to live in, according to some visitors.
REHAB has organised the event which kicked off on March 14.
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