The High Court on Wednesday directed the cabinet secretary to form a high powered commission in 6 months to settle disputes relating to house-rents and upgrade the existing House Rent Control Act.
The six-member commission will be led by a legal expert nominated by the law ministry, the court said.
The other members of the commission should include a Dhaka University professor who has developed expertise on urban housing and planning, an economist, a representative of civil society nominated by housing and public works ministry, a NGO representative working on house rents and tenants’ problems and a DCC official nominated by Mayors.
The committee will make recommendations to upgrade the existing House Rent Control Act 1991 by holding public hearings attended by all stake-holders.
The commission will recommend minimum and maximum house rents for the city and metropolitan areas on regional basis.
The government should update the existing law following the commission’s recommendation said, the court.
Until amendment of the law and formation of the commission the court directed the government to appoint house-rent controllers at each word in the city and metropolitan areas for a year and set up their offices.
The officers-in-charge of the metropolitan areas are directed to take prompt action against a land lord in case of receiving any complaint against forceful eviction or eviction threat.
The police were also directed to provide security to the family members of tenants in case of eviction and threat of eviction.
A bench of Justice Bazlur Rahman and Justice Ruhul Qudues issued the directives disposing two writ petitions that sought necessary directives to control the arbitrarily set house rents.
The court observed that the existing law is tenant friendly but tenants cannot seek any remedy until filing a complaint with a court of assistant judge. Such an assistant judge acts as a rent controller.
The court, in maximum cases, deals with commercial lease disputes.
Source: New Age
