Under the proposed system, applicants will be able to submit their applications at a single designated point and receive decisions within a fixed timeframe. The initiative was discussed at the first meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Housing and Public Works on Monday.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal, a member of the committee, briefed reporters after the meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka. The meeting was chaired by committee chairman Md Rezaul Karim Badsha.
Iqbal said applicants currently have to visit several government agencies, including the Fire Service and Civil Defence and the Department of Environment, during the design approval process. This often causes delays and increases public inconvenience.
He said the committee had proposed a one stop system under which applications would be received at a single location and processed within a specified period. Necessary instructions have also been given to the relevant officials.
The committee also discussed measures to prevent contractors from unnecessarily extending the duration and increasing the cost of government development projects.
Iqbal said the committee would regularly inspect and monitor development projects to assess whether extensions of project deadlines and increases in costs were justified.
“If irregularities, lack of transparency or corruption are found, necessary action will be taken,” he said.
The committee also discussed the housing shortage and obstacles facing low cost housing projects. Iqbal said some provisions of existing urban regulations, particularly those related to the Floor Area Ratio, or FAR, were creating difficulties for land developers.
He said the issues were being reviewed by experts and that work was also underway on the Detailed Area Plan regulations and urban housing regulations.
According to the committee member, the absence of clear housing regulations has created difficulties for developers in implementing projects. Efforts are being made to complete the regulations before the next committee meeting.
The committee also discussed measures to curb unplanned urbanisation. One proposal involves bringing buildings that comply with construction requirements but lack approved designs under RAJUK's regulatory framework through prescribed fines or penalties, subject to applicable rules.
The committee said ensuring public convenience, transparency and accountability would remain among its priorities.
The first meeting also reviewed the progress of the ministry's activities over the previous 180 days and the allocation and spending plan for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The ministry currently has 44 development projects with a combined budget of Tk 3,514 crore, according to information presented at the meeting.
