Organisers at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club yesterday said 58 developers, 10 material providers and three financial institutions are taking part in the fair.

Rehab President Dr Towfiq M Seraj said this year entry fee has been fixed at Tk 10 and the money collected would be distributed among the distressed people.

The real estate traders held that price rise of different construction materials was responsible for increased cost of construction by 6 to 10 per cent making apartments, shopping and commercial spaces beyond the reach of most buyers.

Protesting price-hike of MS rod, they claimed that the rod price alone shot up by 40 per cent in one year and demanded bringing down the price to its earlier level.

They, however, said that although construction cost has increased, but it did not affect the buying price as financial institutions have decreased their rate of interest for individual buyers.

On allegations of cheating the buyers by some apartment and plot developers, the Rehab president said they are soon going to frame a policy for the Rehab members and if allegations are found true, legal action would be taken against the offender.

He, however, denied another allegation of grabbing public and private properties by some developers.