From childhood, we have heard the saying that education is the backbone of the nation. The students who are receiving that education have been subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment during the global pandemic period.
This issue of the rent crisis has made us think anew. In Dhaka’s East Rajabazar area, 130 students of a mess house were in arrears of two months’ rent and the house owner threw all their belongings in the garage without any prior notice. A similar incident took place in the Dhanmondi. Starting from the students’ belongings, the two house owners have thrown away the certificates, books, laptops, and computers.
Bangladesh has not been spared by the global corona pandemic. The question is: What is the solution to the ongoing debate between house owners and tenants?
According to the House Rent Control Act 1991: “Tenants cannot be evicted suddenly if they have paid the rent as per the contract. If there is no contract, if a tenant pays the monthly rent by the 15th of the following month, the tenant cannot be evicted. If you want to evict the tenant for a reasonable reason, when there is someone in the monthly rent, you have to give 15 days’ notice. If the house owner tries to evict him/her while the tenant is paying regular rent, the tenant has the right to seek legal redress.”
According to the Consumers Association of Bangladesh-CAB, an organization working on consumer rights, house rent commodity prices have increased manifolds in the last 25 years but house rent has doubled compared to the price of goods.
Why is this happening?
1. Although there are specific laws and policies for collecting rent or vacating houses, no one cares. The rent is not being collected as per the rent list fixed by Dhaka City Corporation.
2. As a means of livelihood, students have to rely on tuition or coaching centre money. These sources of income for students have been cut off. On the other hand, many families have lost their livelihoods due to the effects of the pandemic. In addition to the problems in the health sector, a kind of economic crisis has taken shape, at the root of which is poverty.
3. There is a special kind of relationship between the landlord and the tenant. Sociologically, it can also be explained by Karl Marx’s theory of “class struggle.” The bourgeoisie is a class that controls all means of production, such as natural resources, mills, factories. As a result, the property-less proletariat continues to be exploited. The landlord here is behaving like a feudal lord with the tenant students.
4. Those who own homes have more political influence than tenants. Throwing certificates in the dustbin for rent is just a picture of an authoritarian system.
What is the solution?
1. Timely implementation of the House Rent Control Act, 1991 (Act No. 3). People need to be more aware of the laws and regulations that apply to house rent.
2. Experts say that in this case, it is necessary to suggest a solution to the crisis on the basis of compromise. No one should mistreat anyone. It is time for both sides to coordinate on the issue of renting a house.
3. In times of financial crisis, tenants can negotiate a two-month or six-month down payment. Because there are some landlords whose only source of income is rent.
4. Both must be held accountable and responsible.
The state must stand by the students. Today’s students are the future of tomorrow and the leaders of the nation. Many landlords are raising rents arbitrarily, evicting many tenants. Strict action should be taken against them. We should be tolerant in building a society based on humanity.
Md Jahid Hashan is a post-graduate student in the Department of Political Science, University of Dhaka.