On paper, the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) owns 37 houses of Gulshan-Banani, Dhaka. But the authority does not have the occupation of the houses worth crore taka in the elite area. The occupiers have controlled the houses in different techniques. Recently, it has been known that many of the occupants do not live in the listed RAJUK's abandoned property. Most of them live in another part of the country or abroad. And their relatives and close ones are staying those houses.
On the other hand, RAJUK may not be able to take possession of the houses due to the case. In some cases, the judgment goes in favor of RAJUK but the majority of cases are still not settled. RAJUK do not allow the design of new buildings to be built on those plots in the abandoned area. It is not possible to win the case as the occupiers do not live in the houses.
Before the War of Liberation, the Pakistani nationals were allotted these houses from the then Pakistani government. During the war, they left Bangladesh leaving those houses. After that, with the fake documents and false papers, the influential people captured those houses. Later, these buildings were listed as abandoned property by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK). But RAJUK could not take possession of the properties due to legal complications.
A search on the plot no 13, Road No 103, Gulshan (former CEN-D-20), it has been found that no one is living in that house though a duplex building was there. Nesar Mohammad Khan is the occupier of that plot in the RAJUK list. But the guard, standing in front of the gate, said that he did not know anyone named Nesar Khan. He said, 'The owners of the house live out of the country. Occasionally they just came to see here. I have heard that there is a problem with the DIT (RAJUK) on this house. There is a case in court.’
Went to a house in Gulshan, road no 101, house no 13, it is seen that the main gate was closed off the tree-covered Duplex building. There was a signboard showing ‘To-Let – Only for foreigners’ in the gate. No phone number was present there. An email address was given there. Several times were tried to connect to that email address but no answer was given back. The guard of next house said that two or three persons are in the house no 13.
How the house placed in the RAJUK’s blacklist, on this question the owners of the plot no 06, road 41, Gulshan, Sultana told bangle Tribune, ‘This is the property I bought. Now RAJUK claims this as their property. They do not allow any design to build a building. Often hear evasive campaigns.’ But she also not living in that house, she informed.
Not only were these three houses, at least 15 houses in the RAJUK’s black list found same situations. Many people have left the house due to the fact that they cannot survive in the case or compete with RAJUK. Apart from this, RAJUK has not been allowing any design to construct buildings in that plots. As a result, they cannot build new permanent houses even if the previous buildings are damaged. On the other hand, most of the service companies are also closed. As a result, many occupiers are not living in those houses.
For several decades Mr. Barrister Moudud Ahmed, member of BNP standing committee, was living in the house no 159, road no 79, Gulshan 2 but RAJUK has uprooted him from that place with the High Court verdict on 7 June 2017.
According to RAJUK sources, Pakistan government allotted these lands between1950 to 1960. The plot was allotted to the Pakistani people from the then Dhaka Improvement Trust (DIT). During the war of liberation, they left Bangladesh. The owners of these plots, ranging from 10 kathas to two bighas, was the then DIT (current RAJUK). Many of these houses are no longer occupied by RAJUK. The influential people have captured these plots with many techniques.
RAJUK's property branch sources informed that RAJUK began searching the Gulshan and Banani’s blacklisted homes which are in illegal occupation from 2008. It found 38 more houses like Moudud Ahmed's house. RAJUK took over another house among these houses. The company has taken initiative to build multi-story buildings there and sell flats. It is said that such initiatives may be taken after the phasing out of legal proceedings is completed.
According to sources, during the four-party alliance government, 18 plots and houses were sold for a nominal price. The houses are now out of the occupation of RAJUK. However, a case has been filed against the former minister Mr. Mirza Abbas and the chairman of RAJUK, Shahid Alam, Iqbal Uddin, and several other officials for the loss of RAJUK in this matter. Some of them were also jailed.




A senior official of RAJUK told the Bangla Tribune, ‘After finishing the legal process, plots or flats will be sold or distributed, donate many government organizations, arrange auction or occupied by RAJUK. However, since RAJUK is now focusing more on resolving the housing problem, the plots are likely to be made and then to be sold or sold.
RAJUK member (development and control) Asmaul Hossain told the Bangla Tribune, ‘The case against all of these plots is going on. There is nothing going on for the sake of the cases. Some of the verdicts have been decided, the verdict has been on our side. We have taken over those. We hope we will win the rest. Then we will occupy one by one.'