Pains & Agonies Of An Uttara Landowner

 

 

 

 

This is a 10-year saga and there is no other way of saying it, but that Mr Khandaker Rajiullah and his accomplices have made my parents’ life an absolute living hell and my life a complete misery. Going through what this Developer and his people have put my parents through is difficult enough for anyone at any age and consumes every aspect of one’s day to day life. And it is doubly difficult at my parents age.

 

No decent person does what Mr Rajiullah has done and still continues to do to us. Some of the illegal occupants to our property are the Developer’s relative and three of them get social service benefit from England. Not only that he has misappropriated my mother’s property but he has also brought false cases against her and me. And my parents are being dragged through the courts and humiliated and traumatised unnecessarily in addition to the fact that they have been rendered penniless and their health has suffered greatly. And believe you me this is no exaggeration at all. I maintain my parents financially for some years now.

 

As an only child I am the only person who has been directly and solely involved in fighting for justice for my parents. I even have had to compromise my professional career. But everywhere I have turned for help I have seen that their (Developer’s) bribery has won over the day! Where corruption has become a way of life in certain quarters the concepts of ‘right’ over ‘might’; of honouring legal contractual agreement and social justice are thrown out of the window.

 

My personal safety was also threatened by Mr Rajiullah and I needed professional protection on my way to and at the airport as well. I compare Mr Rajiullah with the villain “Iago” in Shakespeare’s play Othello – a smooth talking dangerous man who is capable of doing anything and going to any length to satisfy his ego and his greed; and whatever else that drives him.

 

 

 

 

         

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Eviction Notice Withdrawn In Harare

Thousands of people in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, are no longer facing eviction from their market stalls and homes. Amnesty International has recently received formal notification that the threat of forced evictions had been withdrawn.

In July 2009 the Deputy Mayor of the Harare City Council stated that the city authorities were considering evicting people from “illegal settlements and market places to restore order.” The Deputy Mayor claimed that the targeted people were posing a health hazard and violating city by-laws. An estimated 200 people from an informal settlement in the suburb of Gunhill and thousands of informal traders across Harare in Zimbabwe faced being forcibly evicted without being given adequate notice or any consultation or due process. Most of the people at risk were victims of Operation Murambatsvina (Restore Order), a program of mass forced evictions implemented by the Zimbabwean authorities in 2005 which left 700,000 people without homes and livelihoods.

After Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action, the Mayor of Harare met with Amnesty International representatives, and a coalition of stakeholders including the Combined Harare Residents’ Association (CHRA), whose Chair acted as a spokesperson for the coalition; the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

On 30 December 2009 the Mayor of Harare sent a letter to Amnesty International, in which he acknowledged receiving petitions and letters from Amnesty International members and supporters, outlining concerns about the threatened forced evictions. In his letter, the Mayor stated that “due to the concerns expressed by some stakeholders, your members included, the intended exercise is being revisited with a view to constructing more markets…In the case of informal settlements, no effort will be spared in looking for alternative shelter for those affected before they are removed. Every effort will be undertaken to undertake the whole effort as humanely as possible.”

Many thanks to all who sent appeals. No further action is required on this case. Amnesty International will continue to monitor and lobby the authorities in Zimbabwe.

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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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Rajuk Starts Demolition Of JFP

Jamuna Future Park Authoruty(JFP) has lost the legal battle when Supreme Court declared that construction of the top floors of project was illegal. Legal battle was started when Rajuk served notice on Jamuna group to demolish the illegal and unauthorised part of the park within ten days. But Jamuna Group Authority went to court challenging the Rajuk notice.

Rajuk went for demolition of the illegal part immediate after Supreme Court verdict. It may be mentioned here that Mr. Nurul Islam Babul is the Chairman of the Jamuna Group. His wife advocate Salma Islam is the Editor of the Bengali  Daily Jugantar. Earlier Government restricted the  airing of Jamuna TV owned by Jamuna Group.

Purbachal refund

Collecting refunds from Rajuk or Sonali Bank is almost saving a deer from the mouth of a tiger. unfortunate or disappointed applicants for Purbachal plots would get their earnest money refunded within a month or less, once said Housing and Works Atate Minister Abdul Mannan Khan. The state minister is a politician and remains happy with statements. He is not supposed  to follow up what exactly unlucky applicants are facing  in reality.

Father of a NRB applicant told me that He was moving pillar to post to collect the refund deposited by his son with the application for Purbachal plots. The oldman was almost weeping on the floor of Rajuk.

Four Satellite Town of Rajuk

Rajuk to built four satellite town for middleincome group people soon. this has been disclosed by Rajuk Chairman Eng. Nurul Huda recently in a press conference. These towns will be within Gazipur,Savar,Keranigonj and Munshigonj. Rajuk will develop more than 32 thousand flats in Uttara sector 18 and Jhilmil projects. Total expenditue for this projects would be around 9 thousand crores.

RAJUK To Demolish 5000 Unapproved Structures

Rajdhani Unnayan Kotripakkha( Rajuk) has decided to demolish five thousands homes and buildings that violated new construction rules soon. Recently in press conference Rajuk Chairman Eng.Nurul Huda said, he would not surrender to any pressure from ant influential corner. He also said that sturn actions would be taken against land grabbers. Rajuk would stop all kinds of advertisement of unauthorised  and unapproved plots and flats in print and electronic media.

Rajuk Chairman further disclosed that 5000 cases could not solved due to shortage of manpower. When asked about BGMEA building in Hatirjheel project chairman Rajuk said that action would be taken against BGMEA if it was proved unauthorised.

ভুমিদস্যুদের পত্রিকা বর্জন করুন

ভুমিদস্যুদের মালিকানাধীন পত্রিকাগুলোকে বর্জন করে তাদের বিরুদ্ধে আন্দোলন গড়ে তোলার জন্যে আহ্বান জানিয়েছেন গৃহায়ন ও গণপুর্ত প্রতিমন্ত্রী আবদুল মান্নান খান। তিনি বলেন,দস্যুবৃত্তির টাকায় তাদের পত্রিকা প্রকাশিত হয়। তিনি বলেন,এগুলো পত্রিকা নয়,টয়লেট পেপার। প্রতিমন্ত্রী বলেন আবাসন শিল্পের সাথে কোন ভুমিদস্যু জড়িত থাকতে পারবেনা। এসব ভুমিদস্যুদের রিহ্যাব থেকে বহিস্কারের জন্য তিনি দাবী জানান।

সম্প্রতি জাতীয় প্রেসক্লাবে আয়োজিত এক সেমিনারে প্রতিমন্ত্রী এ বক্তব্য রাখেন।চটকদারী বিজ্ঞাপন দিয়ে জনগণকে আর ধোকা বা প্রতারণা করবেন না। ভুমিদস্যুদের অর্থের কাছে সরকার মাথা অবনত করবেনা। প্রতিমন্ত্রী বলেন, সেমিনার সভা করে এদের প্তিহত করা যাবেনা। এবার আপনাদের সরাসরি দখলদারি এলাকায় গিয়ে এদের প্রতিহত করতে হবে। তখন তারা পালাবের পথ পাবেনা। আবাসন সমস্যা সরকারের একার পক্ষে সমাধান করা সম্ভব নয়।

রাজউক সম্পর্কে প্রতিমন্ত্রী বলেন, এ সংস্থাটি আমলাতান্ত্রিক জটিলতায় চলছে। এর সংস্কার করতে হবে।

প্রতিমন্ত্রীর এ বক্তব্য সম্পর্কে পাঠকদের অভিমত জানান।মন্তব্য করুন।

Great Wall New Product Launching

Comprehensive Holdings Made Laudable Progress

When asked what was the success story of his company Mr. Engr. Shah Md Masud Ibrahim, Managing Director of Comprehensive Holdings, housing developer company said, the philosophy of our company is quality and commitment. Mr Masud further said that his company gives utmost priority to the interest of the clients under all circumstances.

Comprehensive Holdings was established in 2005 has made laudable progress during a very short period of six years. During this period the company has built more than 200 quality  flats and successfully delivered to the clients. The company has more than 20 coming up projects in city’s posh area with more than 150 flats.

Mr. Masud said that his company remains alert about customers interests so that there is no complaint from them. Mr. Masud was discussing informally with Gharbari chief editor regarding his idea and philosophy for the development of the housing sector. Masud is a civil engineer graduate from Buet and a fellow of Engineers Institute Bangladesh. After graduation Masud worked for some housing company for sometime and finally started his business under banner of Compressive Holdings.

Readers and viewers of this blog may contact us to know more about Comprehensive Holdings.

Ohone numbers are: 9128498, 9133478 e.mail address: comprehensive@accesstel.net

One Billion Live In Slum

More than 1 billion people across all continents live in slums. These communities, characterized by inadequate housing, lack of basic services, overcrowding, and high levels of violence and insecurity, are also places where residents live, work, and raise their children. Yet, many governments are failing in their duty to protect the rights of these people.

Global slum populations are growing at alarming rates. Disinvestment in rural areas, conflict, natural disasters, climate change, forced evictions and corporate land grabbing continue to force people to migrate to cities where affordable housing is scarce.

People living in slums experience a staggering number of human rights violations. They are routinely denied their right to adequate housing, safe water, sanitation and drainage, electricity, health and education, and face the constant threat of police and gang violence, and forced eviction.

Slum residents pay disproportionately high rents because rent control legislation is rarely imposed in areas considered by the authorities to be “unregularized”. Access to justice is denied because of discrimination and residents have no say in the upgrading of homes or services.

The absence of health facilities and schools within many slums severely restricts access to health care and education. Malnutrition and child mortality rates in slums often match rural areas.

Many urban residents in the developing world lack legal papers guaranteeing security of tenure, increasing their susceptibility to forced eviction and restricting access to services and formal employment. Often, people who live in slums without official documentation are also denied the right to vote.

Forced evictions are a violation of human rights and often result in people losing their possessions, social networks, and access to work and services. Mass forced evictions are increasingly carried out by governments so that slums can be cleared for urban development, city beautification or national projects, such as the Beijing Olympics.

Women are particularly vulnerable in slums, where lack of facilities place them at greater risk of sexual assault and harassment, and where the reporting of domestic violence is often not treated seriously by police. Property law also frequently discriminates against women.

The negative perceptions of people living in slums have contributed directly to a serious deterioration in public security in these communities. In Brazil and Jamaica, this failure by the state has allowed criminal gangs and drug factions to dominate virtually every aspect of life.

Governments have failed to address these issues at both national and international levels. Amnesty International is calling on governments to end forced evictions, ensure equal access to public services for people living in slums, and ensure their active participation in all plans directed at slum upgrading.