The government has allocated 110 kathas of land at Uttara 3rd phase in the capital Dhaka to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association to construct its new headquarters on condition that the trade body would not use the land for commercial or residential purposes.Recently, the BGMEA has received the final allotment letter of the land from Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha that asked the trade body to pay Tk 20 lakh a katha.In the letter, RAJUK said that two plots (7 and 7A) with total area of 110 kathas at lake drive of 17H1 sector under Uttara 3rd phase residential area have been allotted to the BGMEA setting initial price of the land at Tk 22 crore.RAJUK asked BGMEA to pay the price of allotted plots at a time by June 29 this year or in three instalments before handing over the land.Under the instalment facility, the BGMEA would have to pay Tk 8.80 crore (40 per cent of total price) by June 29 as first instalment, Tk 8.184 crore (including 12 per cent fee) as 2nd instalment by June 29, 2018 and Tk 7.392 crore (with fee) before handing over the land.As per the terms and conditions, RAJUK would develop the plots before handing over to the BGMEA and if the price of land increased due to development the trade body would have to pay the additional cost.It also said that after getting registration, the BGMEA would start construction on the land as per the RAJUK approved design. As per the RAJUK conditions, the land would be used only for institutional purpose and the BGMEA would have to establish a public library in the area which will be open for all.RAJUK said that BGMEA would have to comply with the land use plan provided by the trade body and the proposed office would have to start within four years after handing over the plots.The BGMEA president Md Siddiqur Rahman told New Age on Tuesday that they received allotment letter of land from RAJUK and now the trade body would take necessary stapes to use the land.‘I am not feeling comfort to make any comment on the issue. As per the rules we will pay estimated price of the land and the work for relocating the BGMEA headquarters would be started,’ he said. On April 3, 2011, the High Court Division had ordered the government to demolish the illegally built 15-story BGMEA Bhaban within 90 days and termed it as ‘a cancerous growth’ eclipsing the capital’s landmark Hatirjheel lake.On June 2, 2016, the apex court rejected BGMEA’s appeal against the HC order.Later, the apex court rejected BGMEA’s review petition and upheld a High Court judgement ordering the demolition of the building.Most of the floors of the 15-story building were sold by the BGMEA to the different establishments, including Dhaka Bank Ltd, Exim Bank Bangladesh Ltd and 38 apparel manufacturing companies.Following the rejection of the BGMEA’s leave to appeal against the High Court order, the trade body chose a plot of land at Uttara in the capital and submitted applications to the government high ups to allocate 10 bighas of land in favour of the trade body to relocate its headquarters.The BGMEA got the government’s nod and recently the RAJUK has been asked by the government to expedite the process of allocating the land to the BGMEA, an official of the trade body said.After losing last legal battle the BGMEA had filed a petition to the Appellate Division seeking three years for relocating BGMEA office and the trade body got six months.After getting six months, which started counting from March 12, the BGMEA president had said they would relocate their office to a new building at Uttara within the time.
