Government’s Proposed Luxury Housing Project for OfficialsGovernment’s Proposed Luxury Housing Project for Officials Amid ongoing austerity measures, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has proposed an extravagant housing project for government officials and employees in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. The project, estimated at Tk 4,264 crore, includes luxury amenities such as a swimming pool, boathouses, and a lakeside plaza. Scope of the Project The project involves the construction of 42 ten-storey apartment buildings spread over 43 hectares of land. It includes apartments of various sizes, ranging from 1,250 to 1,800 square feet. A significant portion of the project’s budget is allocated for a community amenities area, featuring schools, a college, a mosque, a shopping mall, and a community center. Amenities and Infrastructure In addition to the standard amenities, the project boasts a rooftop swimming pool, a lakeside walkway, two boathouses, and a lakeside plaza. It also includes a modern water supply system, rainwater storage, and a waste treatment tower to ensure environmental safety. Controversy and Concerns The proposed project has sparked controversy due to its perceived opulence and potential misalignment with the government’s austerity measures. Critics argue that such a lavish project is inappropriate in the current economic climate. Government’s Response Government officials have defended the project as necessary to address the acute housing shortage faced by government officials. They have also stated that the amenities included are “reasonable” and necessary to provide a decent living standard. Further Evaluation and Decision The government has instructed the concerned ministries to reassess the project proposal and ensure that it aligns with the actual demand for housing. The Planning Commission has raised concerns about the cost of the project and the suitability of the location, given that it houses several important government institutions. The final decision on whether to proceed with the project will depend on the government’s evaluation of its feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with its commitment to austerity measures.
As part of the government’s ongoing austerity measures, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has proposed a housing project with luxury amenities, such as a swimming pool, boathouses and a lakeside plaza, for government officials and employees.
The project, estimated at Tk 4,264 crore, includes plans for 42 ten-storey apartment buildings spread over 43 hectares of land in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
It also includes a modern water supply system with a deep tube well, a rainwater storage system and a waste treatment tower to ensure environmental safety.
The Public Works Department wants to start implementation this budget year and complete it by 2027 at the latest.
Currently, the area has 47 government housing units, built in the 1960s, each consisting of one or two floors.
A meeting of the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) on the proposed project was held yesterday, chaired by Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, member of the Physical Infrastructure Division of the Planning Commission.
Regarding the proposal, Emdad Ullah Mian told TBS that various aspects of the project were discussed during the meeting.
“Sher-e-Bangla Nagar has been developed as an office-centric area. As a result, the concerned ministry has been asked to assess whether the proposed housing project will be reasonable,” he said.
Moreover, they have been tasked to revise the project proposal to ensure that it matches the actual demand for housing for government officials and employees, he added.
He also noted that the government is currently prioritising budget cuts and that the project would take significant time to implement. Therefore, further evaluation is needed to determine its feasibility.
Regarding the luxurious amenities included in the proposal, Md Shafiqul Islam, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, told TBS that they have submitted a proposal with “reasonable” modern amenities for government officials.
“There is no harm in making proposals. Now it is up to the government to decide whether to proceed,” he added.
Planning Commission officials said the project cost would be much higher than proposed.
Moreover, the area already houses offices of several important government institutions, they said, so there is a need for a high-level government decision on whether to proceed with the project at the proposed location.
Earlier, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works had proposed to shift the secretariat to the western side of the Bangabandhu Conference Centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
However, the proposal was not approved by the government.
Reason for the project
The project proposal highlighted that there are 1,48,915 government officials and employees working in Dhaka city but only 13,052 apartments are available for their stay.
This covers only 8% of the total demand, which is far below the requirements. Many civil servants and employees are forced to rent private accommodation at high costs, leading to financial pressure.
In response to the housing crisis, the prime minister has ordered an increase in the rent subsidy for government officials and employees from 8% to 40%, the proposal said.
Therefore, the project proposal proposes to tackle the problem by demolishing old buildings in the areas and starting new housing projects there.
What is included in the project
The project involves the construction of a total of 42 buildings, each 10 stories high.
This includes 20 buildings with 1,250 square feet of flats, which amounts to Tk1,181 crore. In addition, there are 11 buildings with 1,500 square feet of flats, estimated at Tk685 crore, and another 11 buildings with 1,800 square feet of flats, which amounts to Tk854 crore.
A Tk 220-crore community amenities area has been planned, with schools, a college, a mosque, a shopping mall and a community centre spread across five buildings.
Tk 2.82 crore has been budgeted for a swimming pool on the roof of the community centre.
Other developments include a 35-crore yen lakeside walkway, two boathouses costing 82 lakh yen and a 5-crore yen lakeside plaza.
Interior design elements such as kitchen cabinets, wall units, wall panels and false ceilings are estimated at Tk155 crore.
The project also includes five six-storey buildings and four three-storey buildings.
