The Jhilmil Residential Area in Keraniganj near the capital remains limited to comparatively a small area of land because of failure of Rajuk to acquire land from the local powerful landowners.
The development of Jhilmil housing project, a new satellite town in Keraniganj, covers a 381.11-acre land although the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) planned to extend over 22,000 acres.
The apex city development authority initiated the residential project in 1997, but was yet to complete even after more than 13 years.
A section of influential people are calling the shot.
To extend its project into a large area like other mega housing projects – Uttara Residential Model Town Project and Purbachal New Town Project – Rajuk ran a study on 32 mouzas in Keraniganj upazila, but was forced to limit its housing initiative into only the three mouzas – Shubadda, Chunkutia and Teghoria in the study area.
Sources said the Rajuk acquired the land from common people in the study area, but failed to do so from a section of influential persons.
The project is situated at a distance of 2km west of China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge over the river Buriganga beside the Dhaka-Mawa Road at Keraniganj.
Though the government-owned agency Rajuk failed to extend its residential project area, a large number of private housing companies made it.
Private companies like Priya Prangon Housing Ltd of Hamid Real Estate, Bashundhara River View Project of Bashundhara Group, Navana Real Estate Ltd and Bhuian city of Navana Real Estate, Bangladesh Development Company Ltd, Bismillah Real Estate, Ramjan Nagar Housing, M/S Amir Enterprise, Mawlana Real Estate, Action City Project, Anwar Real Estate Ltd etc are implementing their residential projects on large acres of land in and around the Jhilmil study area.
Sources said the private companies were running the housing projects in Keraniganj in an unplanned way without the Rajuk approval.
Besides, a Rajuk official said they sent a proposal to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works to extend its Jhilmil Project, but the ministry was yet to come up with any response.
Contacted, Nurul Huda, chairman of the Rajuk, told the Dhaka Tribune, “At first we want to complete the current phase of project development covering 381.11 acres of land, and the issue of project extension will be dealt afterwards.”
“The implementation of the project is at its final stage, and we have already started handing over plots to landowners.”
Asked about the extension of the housing project and difficulties of land acquisition, the Rajuk boss fought shy of answers.
Meanwhile, the Jhilmill Project will have about 1,740 plots to build 9,500 apartments for lower- and middle-income groups.
Rajuk officials said they just started developing the plots, and the construction of apartment would follow the suit.
Land and infrastructural development, ie. roads, culverts and bridges, are now at their final stage.
The Rajuk has handed over about 150 plots to the landowners and some 50 plot owners have got registration.
During a recent visit the Dhaka Tribune correspondent found that construction of most of the roads in and around the project had been completed, and digging of lake and construction of bridges on the lake were going on.
Of the utility services electricity, gas and water the work for setting power connection is going on while the rest are yet to be done.