The High Court has directed the government to form a “high-powered commission” of experts, which would fix the maximum and minimum house rents for different areas, within six months.
The HC also ordered that the commission would identify the problems of residents by holding talks with both the owners of houses and their tenants.
A High Court bench of Justice Mohammad Bazlur Rahman and Justice Md Ruhul Quddus passed the order on Wednesday, responding to a writ petition filed by rights body Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.
Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed the petition on April 25, 2010, seeking HC directives on the government for strict enforcement of House Rent Control Act 1991 to prevent the capital's house owners from arbitrarily raising and taking in advance rent.
The next month, the court issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to enforce the law properly.
During the hearings, petitioner's counsel Manzill Murshid prayed for HC directives on the government so that the transactions took place through banks so as to ensure the government can collect due revenue.
The attorney general's office opposed the petition saying there were several government rent controllers for disposing of the allegations.
Later, the HC bench fixed Wednesday for delivering its verdict on the writ.
In its verdict, the HC bench said the head of the “high-powered commission” would be a law expert nominated by the Law Ministry.
The commission will also includes a University professor, who is an expert on housing and city development, an economist, senior official of Housing and Public Works Ministry, a civil society member, an expert on consumer rights and a city corporation official.
The commission will fix area-wise highest and lowest house rents through mass hearing, if required, said the HC.
The HC banch also issued a ruling upon the government asking why it should not be directed to enforce the House Rent Control Act 1991 properly.
The secretaries for law, parliament, cabinet and prime ministry's office and the two mayors of Dhaka City Corporations were made respondents of the ruling.
