The country's realtors on Saturday opposed a government move to include two city corporations, besides RAJUK, in the approval process for the construction of structures in Dhaka.
The decision directly contradicts the country's various efforts to create a business-friendly environment and improve the ease of doing business, they said.
"It would create more hassles in the construction sector, rather than easing the business," said Alamgir Shamsul Alamin (Kajal), president of the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (Rehab).
"The government should strengthen RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha) rather than introducing a rule requiring the realtors to also take approval from the city corporations for building new structures," he said during a press conference at a city hotel.
This reaction came in response to a comment made by Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Md Tajul Islam, who at a recent meeting in the Secretariat said anyone planning to build structures in Dhaka would have to get approval from both RAJUK and the city corporation concerned.
Tajul also said aside from issuing approvals, the two city corporations - Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) - will also conduct regular monitoring.
It usually takes months to get approval from RAJUK - the inclusion of the two city corporations in the approval process will simply double the harassment, REHAB president told the press conference.
"We want either the city corporations or RAJUK to take charge of the construction sector," he said.
REHAB wants the government to rescue the canals and rivers, said Mr Alamgir, adding that they were ready to provide assistance to the government to rescue canals, if needed.
There was a provision in the Dhaka Building Construction Act 2008, requiring developers until 2019 to obtain clearance from the city corporations to build any structures above 10 storeys.
The approval process was then simplified to include just three organisations -RAJUK, Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh - in order to expedite the construction of high-rise buildings in the capital.
The sector accounts for about 15 per cent of Bangladesh's gross domestic product.
