Hunting for homes at REHAB Winter Fair
The five-day event was organised by the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh
Nazmun Ara from the capital's Mirpur area is searching for a new home in an area of her choice.
She became fascinated with the under-construction apartment project named "Toru Kabbyo" in the Shewrapara area, while visiting the REHAB Winter Fair 2019 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center on Tuesday.
But Nazmun Ara is not decided on anything just yet. She wants to look at a few more options at different stalls at the event. Many potential buyers such as Nazmun are thronging to the fair to search for their dream apartments.
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The five-day event was organised by the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) to provide a venue for real estate businessmen to meet potential buyers and offer flats and plots for sale.
Speaking to The Business Standard, Nazmun Ara said, "The Toru Kabbyo by Rangs really caught my eye. These apartments offer all modern facilities and are in an excellent location.
"There are open spaces around the apartment complex and the price is reasonable. But I will make the final decision after looking at different projects from several other companies."
Rangs Manager (sales) Arifuzzaman said, "There are 256 flats under the Toru Kabbyo project ranging from 1520 to 1850 square feet in size. The project offers modern facilities such as parking, lift, CCTV, mini hospital and gymnasium.
"The price has been set at Tk6,200 per square foot for the flats so that people from the middle income group can afford them."
He added that Rangs is offering around 700 flats for sale in the winter housing fair.
Bijoy Rakeen City is offering even more modern flats for sale. The company is showcasing its green city project titled "Rakeen Tranquil Town," on monitors at the event. The project is on a 120-bigha plot of land near the Kanchpur area.
The company's Assistant Manager (marketing) Mayejuddin said, "These apartments will feature facilities such as a swimming pool, lake-fountain, community hall, rain water harvesting, playground and gymnasium. Every apartment complex will feature a rooftop garden.
"The flats will be between 1000 to 2000 square feet in size."
Almost every big housing company in the country - such as Eastern Housing, Sheltech, Navana, Shanta, Rupayan, Amin Mohammad, Anwar Landmark, Concord, DOM-INNO - are offering their flats and apartments at the fair.
A total of 230 real estate companies are participating in the fair, showcasing information about their flats' indoor and outdoor areas, and giving buyers exciting offers. Thirty building material enterprises and 14 banks and financial institutions are also participating in this year's event along with REHAB member companies.
The fair will remain open every day from 10am to 9pm till December 28. Housing companies are offering under-construction and ready flats, commercial buildings and plots for sale.
As in previous years, the organisers will offer two types of tickets for entry to the fair. A one-time entry ticket will cost Tk50 and a multiple-entry ticket covering five days will cost Tk100.
REHAB sources said that the money collected from ticket sales will be spent on supporting the poor and the destitute.
Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim inaugurated the fair earlier in the morning.
Promising to lower the registration fee for housing businesses, the minister said at the event, "The matter has been discussed with the law ministry and they are vetting the proposal. It might be tabled for discussion at the next session of parliament.
"We want to provide housing for everyone. Many REHAB members do their businesses with honesty, but a section of dishonest businessmen are tarnishing its image. We must take a unified stance against such people."
Adding that the government is employing foreigners in housing projects such as the ones in Keraniganj, Uttara, Purbachal and Jhilmil, the minister said, "I have proposed getting eligible local companies involved in such projects.
"Local companies should get priority in these projects."
Commenting on REHAB's long-standing demand for creating a Tk20,000 crore fund to boost the real estate sector, Rezaul Karim said that he will speak with the ministries concerned, including the finance ministry on the matter.
REHAB President Alamgir Shamsul Alamin presided over the inauguration programme, while Senior Vice-President Liaquat Ali Bhuiyan and Vice-President Kamal Mahmud, among many others, were present.
