The 1,100-square-foot flat in Nakhal Para’s NAM Bhaban is sparsely furnished with only three sofas and a bed. For over a year, Barrister Rumeen Farhana, former member of parliament (MP) and central international affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has not returned the key to the authorities.
This flat was allocated to her after she became an MP from a reserved seat, similar to other parliament members. Farhana resigned from her MP’s position on December 11, 2022. She had joined the 11th parliament on May 28, 2019, from the reserved seat for women from the BNP.
Parliament authorities claim she is neither paying the rent nor vacating the flat. In turn, Farhana accuses parliament of not clearing her salary.
Dhaka Tribune could not independently verify Farhana’s claim.
Salary vs rent
Farhana said: “I am yet to receive my salary from the government; they haven’t paid it yet. If my salary is settled, I’ll promptly vacate the flat.”
“I had a due amount of Tk25,000, but considering the rent and service charges, the government would only get Tk2,500 from it. I conveyed this in response to their letter.”
A parliamentary source said: “Farhana, despite resigning in 2022, has occupied the flat and office for over a year without paying rent or service charges. Even after repeated attempts to contact her, she remains unresponsive.”
A letter dated November 22, 2023, urged Farhana to vacate the flat and office.
Farhana said: “They verbally asked me to leave and later sent a letter in December. My stance remains clear - settle my salary or deduct Tk2,500 for the flat from it.”
The letter cites an outstanding office rent of Tk22,000 from November 2021 to December 2023.
A Parliament Secretariat official, asking for anonymity, stated: “She owes Tk30,200, including service charges, which she is not paying.”
The letter addressed to Farhana stated: “Although you resigned from the 11th National Parliament on December 11, 2022, the allotted flat and office room have not been returned. Pay the outstanding rent by November 30, 2023, and hand over the flat and office.”
While Farhana’s personal assistant promised the keys would be returned, they haven’t been submitted yet, according to concerned officials.
Flat vacancy dilemma
Regarding removing her belongings from the flat and office, Farhana informed Dhaka Tribune: “All my party workers who could help me in this matter have been jailed by the government. I don’t have any party workers in the Nakhal Para area who can assist me in moving my belongings to my hometown right now. If the government releases my workers from jail, I can also vacate the flat.”
“I was busy with party activities, like movements, till now. All the goods in that flat have to be shifted to my hometown. I need time as there was no opportunity and manpower to move the items. I have no problem leaving the home and the office. But for that, they also have to go through the right method.”
Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury Liton, chief whip of Parliament, responded to Dhaka Tribune about this matter: “I think she should leave the flat according to conventional rules. I have heard that despite repeated letters, she is not taking any action to vacate her flat and office. There are, of course, ethical issues involved.”
The parliament official, speaking anonymously, said: “Her personal assistant Zakir Hossain has been verbally requested on at least 15 to 20 days to have the flat and office room vacated. He repeatedly promised to do so but did not vacate them.”
“The 11th parliament has ended, and the 12th parliament has been formed. Flats should be allotted to new MPs. The other BNP MPs who resigned with Farhana have left their government-house offices. I called and wrote to her repeatedly in this regard, but she did not respond. We are in an embarrassing situation with this,” another official told Dhaka Tribune.
