Landowners propose abolition of discriminatory Floor Area Ratio system
In a press conference held at the National Press Club, the Dhaka City Land Owners Association has raised concerns about the new Detailed Area Plan (DAP) 2022-2035, claiming that it has led to financial losses for over 200,000 landowners and has been applied in a discriminatory manner.
The association's Chief Coordinator, Professor Dewan MA Sajjad, accused institutions like Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) of creating inequality and cheating landowners by reducing Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and plot sizes. He also alleged that proper oversight is absent in the construction process, and many buildings are being constructed through bribery, violating the rules.
Professor Sajjad further stated that the new DAP unreasonably reduces building height and size, and the maximum FAR of 5-6 has been applied only to certain areas, while neighborhoods housing most of Dhaka's middle- and lower-income residents have been assigned the lowest FAR of 1-3. This, he argued, is a discriminatory move that adversely affects landowners.
The association has demanded the cancellation of the FAR system and per-katha unit limitations in the DAP, and has called for the construction approval process to be simplified. They also want to be included as a stakeholder in all DAP-related amendment meetings.
In addition, the association has accused Rajuk of not building any planned roads in Dhaka over the past three years. They have demanded that the DAP 2025-35 be based on the 2008 Building Construction Regulations and properly implemented.
The leaders of the association, including Tanvirul Islam Chowdhury, K M Ejaz Mahmud, Engineer Humayun Kabir Shimul, Advocate Rezaul Hossain (Supreme Court), journalists Bablu Rahman, Syeda Afsarun Nahar Liza, and others, were present at the press conference. They have vowed to pursue their demands through the country's court and, if necessary, international forums.
The DAP was created by the Urban Development Directorate of Bangladesh to manage urban growth, and its aim is to control density, reduce congestion, and improve living conditions in Dhaka. However, the association believes that it is ignoring the interests of landowners.
