Housing project with swimming pool, boat house, lake plaza proposed for govt officials

Amid the government's ongoing austerity efforts, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has proposed a housing project with luxurious amenities, such as swimming pool, boat houses, lake plaza, for government officials and employees. 

The project, estimated at Tk4,264 crore, includes plans for 42 ten-storey apartment buildings spread across 43 acres of land in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. 

It also includes a modern water supply system that includes a deep tubewell, rainwater storage system, and waste management tower to ensure environmental safety. 

The Public Works Department aims to commence implementation during the current financial year, with completion by 2027.

Currently, there are 47 government residential buildings, constructed in the 1960s, each consisting of one or two storeys, in the area.

A project evaluation committee (PEC) meeting was held on the proposed project yesterday under the chairmanship of Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, member of the Physical Infrastructure Division of the Planning Commission. 

Regarding the proposal, Emdad Ullah Mian told TBS that they discussed various aspects of the project at the meeting. 

"Sher-e-Bangla Nagar has been developed as an office-centric area. As a result, the concerned ministry has been asked to review whether the proposed housing project will be reasonable," he said. 

Besides, they have also been tasked with revising the project proposal to align with the actual housing demand for government officials and employees, he added.

He also noted that the government is currently prioritising austerity and the project would require significant time for implementation. Therefore, further evaluation is necessary to determine its feasibility.

Regarding the luxurious facilities included in the proposal, Md Shafiqul Islam, additional chief engineer of the Public Works Department, informed TBS that they have submitted a proposal featuring "reasonable" modern amenities for government officials. 

"There is no harm in issuing proposals. Now, it is up to the government to decide whether to proceed," he added. 

Officials from the Planning Commission said the project cost would be much higher than what is proposed.  

Furthermore, the area already houses offices of various important government offices, they said. Therefore, there is a need for a high-level government decision on whether to go ahead with the project at the proposed site. 

Earlier, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works proposed relocating the secretariat to the west side of the Bangabandhu Conference Center in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. 

However, the proposal was not approved by the government. 

Rationale for the project 

The project proposal highlighted that there are 1,48,915 government officials and employees working in Dhaka city, but only 13,052 flats are available for their residence. 

This meets only 8% of the total demand, which falls far short of requirements. Many officials and employees are compelled to rent private accommodations at high costs, leading to financial strain.

In response to this housing crisis, the prime minister has directed an increase in housing benefits for government officials and employees from 8% to 40%, said the proposal.  

Therefore, the project proposal suggests addressing the issue by demolishing old buildings in the areas and initiating new housing projects there.

What is in the project 

The project entails constructing a total of 42 buildings, each 10 storeys high. 

This includes 20 buildings with 1,250 square feet flats, amounting to Tk1,181 crore. Additionally, there are 11 buildings featuring 1,500 square feet flats, estimated at Tk685 crore, and another 11 buildings with 1,800 square feet flats, costing Tk854 crore.

A Tk220 crore community facility zone is planned, including schools, a college, mosque, shopping mall, and community centre across five buildings. 

A rooftop swimming pool at the community centre is budgeted at Tk2.82 crore.

Other developments include a Tk35 crore lakeside walkway, two boat houses costing Tk82 lakh, and a Tk5 crore lake plaza. 

Interior design elements like kitchen cabinets, wall cupboards, wall panelling, and false ceilings are estimated at Tk155 crore. 

The project also includes five 6-storey buildings and four 3-storey buildings.