Boon for Rajuk, bane for plot applicants

Tk 1,650cr deposited for Uttara, Purbachal plots; allotment not made in 10 months
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) is making profits out of over Tk 1,650 crore deposited by about 1.65 lakh people who applied for plots of Uttara Model Town (third phase) and Purbachal New Town Housing Project around nine months back.
Rajuk sought applications for plot allotments of the two projects in November 2008 and was supposed to announce the results in December last year.
As the new government extended the time for application submission till April 30 Rajuk is yet to make the announcement.
The present government fixed June 2009 for the announcement of plot allotment. Rajuk missed the deadline and is going to miss it again in August much to the frustration of the applicants waiting since December last year.
The standing committee on public undertakings on August 23 asked Rajuk to return the deposited money along with bank interest to those who are not going to get the plots.
“It is the responsibility of policy making body to take a decision on the matter,” said Chairman of Rajuk Nurul Huda on August 26.
The committee headed by Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir asked Rajuk to be transparent in allocating plots of Purbachal, Jhilmil and Uttara projects.
Rajuk will earn around Tk 165 crore as interest if they keep the deposited money (Tk 1650 crore if we take it for granted that one applicant deposited one lakh taka on average) for one year under FDR scheme on 10 percent interest, said a banker of a private bank.
And it will draw Tk 82.50 crore as interest normally from an STD account of a bank on five percent interest, he added.
Rajuk also earned around Tk 16.50 crore through selling 1.65 lakh application forms to 1.65 lakh applicants (Tk 1000 for each form), sources said.
State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan after joining his office told The Daily Star that they would complete the scrutiny of the applications by two months to make sure the allotments are made by June.
But on August 25 the state minister said they were trying their best to distribute the plots as early as possible but could not do it yet as Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) delayed in preparing the database.
“We are hoping to announce the name of the plot winners by August,” said Abdul Mannan.
Rajuk sources said applicants would have to wait at least two months to get back their deposited money if they fail to win the plots.
Rajuk chairman, however, said they would start returning deposited money to the applicants from immediately after the day of announcement.
Lottery will also be arranged, except for some categories, to maintain transparency in allotting plots, he said.
Rajuk sources said all the lawmakers, ministers, state ministers and judges who submitted applications will get the plots.
Frustration is high among those who deposited the money by taking loans. Now they cannot withdraw their money, applicants said.
“Every month I have to pay Tk 3000 as interest on one lakh taka I took as loan,” said Shajahan, a resident of Mohammadpur area.
Omar Faruk, a resident of Mir Hajirbagh, who applied for a 3-katha plot under the Purbachal project, also pays Tk 2,500 each month as interest.
Rajuk took a deposit of Tk 75,000 for a 3-katha plot, Tk 1 lakh for a 5-katha plot, Tk 1.50 lakh for a 7.5-katha plot and Tk 2 lakh for a 10-katha plot under the two projects.
They took $ 1500 for a 3-katha plot, $ 2000 for a 5-katha plot, $ 2500 for a 7.5 katha plot and $ 3500 for a 10-katha plot from expatriate plot seekers.
Rajuk will distribute 6383 plots under Purbachal New Town Project and around 800 plots under Uttara third phase.
It will also distribute 2177 plots to affected people under Purbachal project, said an official of Rajuk. Under the Purbachal project, Rajuk will distribute 3883 3-katha plots, 3545 5-katha plots, 710 plots of 7.5-katha and 422 10-katha plots while the Uttara project will give allotments of 405 3-katha plots and 395 plots of 5-katha.

Courtesy of The Daily Star