Dhaka
Photo: .
Following an order to remove subtenants and other tenants from government residential flats, many students and people from other professions have left their homes in various government colonies across the capital. However, many have faced difficulties because they could not find alternative accommodation within such a short period. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Government Accommodation has decided to inspect the colonies to determine whether any tenants or subtenants remain in government flats after the deadline.
In an urgent public notice issued last Thursday, the Directorate of Government Accommodation said that if any subtenant or tenant is found in a government flat after October 31, the allotment of the residence to the relevant government employee will be cancelled. Disciplinary and legal action may also be taken against the employee.
Students from various educational institutions, including the University of Dhaka, Eden Mohila College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Women's College, the College of Applied Human Science and Dhaka College, used to live as subtenants in several buildings of the Azimpur Government Colony. A large proportion of them are female students. They lived there because they could not secure places in residential halls and were seeking a comparatively safe living environment.
A third-year student at Eden Mohila College said she was given notice to vacate her accommodation on October 22. As she was at her village home during the Durga Puja holidays, she returned to Dhaka on October 26 only to find that she could no longer stay there. After spending nights at different places for several days, she moved her belongings out on Saturday.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the student said she should have been given at least two months to leave the accommodation, but this was not done. Her final examinations are scheduled for December, and she said the relocation had disrupted her preparation.
Students claim that hundreds of students and tenants from other professions have been forced to leave their homes in the Azimpur and Palashi government colonies within a few days. Many of them have yet to find new accommodation.
Another third-year student at Begum Badrunnesa Government Women's College said she had searched for accommodation in different areas until 11pm or midnight every day but had been unable to find a place to live. She said she had to rent accommodation outside because she could not secure a place in a residential hall. In view of the situation, she has also requested the college authorities to arrange residential hall accommodation on an urgent basis.
Renting out government-allotted residences has been a longstanding practice in various government colonies across the capital, including Azimpur. Some government employees rent out entire flats, while others let out one or two rooms in their homes.
According to the report, some employees live elsewhere at a lower cost and earn additional income by renting out their government-allotted residences. Others rent out one or two rooms because their salaries are insufficient to cover household expenses.
Mahbub Alam, general secretary of the management committee of Building No. 22 in Zone B of the Azimpur Government Colony, said there had been allegations that several households in the building were renting out rooms. However, he claimed that the tenants had already been removed and that no tenants were currently living there.
At the government residential area for officials and employees in Paikpara, Mirpur-1, no one was seen leaving their homes on Saturday afternoon. Security guards and nearby shopkeepers also said they had not seen anyone moving out that day.
Meanwhile, several residents said the Public Works Department (PWD) had sealed some vacant flats in the old five-storey buildings of the Walk-up Government Employees' Residential Area in Mirpur-1. According to them, many residents had already moved to the newer multi-storey buildings in front of the old ones.
According to the Directorate of Government Accommodation, there are a total of 19,091 government residences of various categories in the capital. Of these, 3,252 flats are located in the Azimpur area.
Director of the Directorate of Government Accommodation Zahirul Islam Khan said people living in the flats as subtenants or tenants had been instructed to leave by October 31. Officials from the directorate will now inspect various government colonies. If tenants or subtenants are found in any flat, legal action will be taken against the government employee to whom the residence has been allotted.
He added that most tenants had already left, while some were still in the process of moving out. He claimed that they had been given one week, rather than just one day, to vacate the residences.
Although students do not oppose the initiative to stop irregularities in the rental of government residences, they believe they should have been given more time to leave. They say finding and moving into a new home within just seven days is difficult, particularly for those who live in Dhaka for their studies and have not secured places in residential halls.
A female student, speaking on condition of anonymity, said finding accommodation within seven days was difficult. She said their hardship would have been reduced if they had been given at least one month.
Those affected have called for the authorities to consider students' accommodation crisis and the practical difficulties of finding alternative housing while taking steps to prevent irregularities in government residential facilities.
