The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

The Government has allowed 67.5 per cent of a plot for constructing buildings in the 'Building Construction Rules 2008.'

According to the new rule, which amended Building Construction Rules-2007, owners of up to two kathas of land will be allowed to use highest 67.5 per cent of their plot to construct a building, said an official of the Department of Architecture (DoA).

Under the new rule, while constructing a building, a builder will have to leave 0.8 metre spaces at the edges instead of the previous one metre, he added.

The changes were made as small landowners had been expressing dissatisfaction over the 'Building Construction Rules-2007,' according to an official of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK).

According to the new rules, owners, having two to three kathas of land, will be able to use 65 per cent of the land for the construction. Owners of three to five kathas will be able to use 62.5 per cent of the land, owners of five to nine kathas 60 per cent, owners of nine to12 kathas 57.5 per cent, owners of 12 to 14 kathas 55 per cent, owner of 14 to 18 kathas 52.5 per cent, and owners of 18 kathas and above will be able to use 50 per cent of the land for constructing their structures.

The new rules allow owners, who constructed their buildings according to the old rules, to internally modify their buildings leaving alone the length, width, height and total floor space of buildings.

An owner constructing a building under the 'Key Point Installation' or Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh height-restricted area would be able to use all the land after leaving the minimum space around the building. The ground coverage rule of constructing buildings will not be applicable for them, said the new rules.

The One-window Cell, a cell that allowed people to have all permits from one place under the Building Construction Rules-2007, has been removed.

However, a special cell similar to the 'One-window Cell' will be set up for special building projects only.

Landowners, who want to construct high-rise buildings, would have to get all the permits from different government agencies, a RAJUK official said.

The Government has published the new rules on June 3. The amendment has been made in line with suggestions of the sub-committee of the Urban Development Committee of the RAJUK, formed on September 26, 2007 to review the rules.