The Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (Rehab) in its recent advertisements in the mass media preached against the wetland and environment conservation acts and Private Housing Land Development Rules of 2004 to justify land development in the sub-flood flow zones.

Meanwhile, a forum of various professional bodies, institutions, environmentalists and human rights groups has decided to provide collective support to protect city's wetlands and environment and human rights of the affected people.

The forum includes Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB), Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), Institute of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) and Nijera Kori.

The Rehab advertisement on April 3 argued for accommodating whatever geographical and topographical changes have taken place over past 11 years causing serious blow to the city's landscape and planned development in preparing the DAP.

Instead of preparing the DAP on the basis of CS map, Rehab demands delineation of the present state of geography and topography with many designated wetlands, low-lying areas, rivers, canals, retention ponds and flood plains earth-filled and destroyed by land developers.

In another advertisement on April 25, Rehab alleged that Wetland Conservation Act of 2000, Environment Conservation Act of 1995, Building Construction Act of 1952, Private Housing Land Development Rules of 2004 are flawed and cause harassment to the housing developers.

A top environmentalist, Professor Muzaffer Ahmad, said it is clear with the latest move to establish onslaught on environment and justify detriments to city's development plan that Rehab has no transparency and accountability as an organisation.

"Rehab is now making attempts to justify unauthorised activities in the real estate sector...There are innumerable instances of land grabbing by the housing developers," he said.

The whole argument of Rehab in the advertisement is that their business is above everything, he said. "But the question is which one is greater; business of the housing developers or interest of the country."

Dhaka will lose livability if the demands that Rehab has placed in the advertisements are accepted.

Asked, President of Rehab Abdul Awal said that the advertisements should not be interpreted as a sweeping advocacy. "Those who are guilty of destroying environment, wetlands, floodplains and natural water bodies shall be punished in due course of the laws," he said.

Honorary chairman of the Centre for Urban Studies and member of government's Urban Development Committee Prof Nazrul Islam termed the Rehab attempt as 'very bad.'

"Most of the statement is not based on facts. Rehab's attitude is not fair because they have blamed all concerned except for themselves."

He said that most of the statement in the advertisement is misleading with incorrect data, definition and interpretation.

Architect Iqbal Habib, who is member secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Bachao Andolon (Bapa), said that land development sector has never devoted to housing solution of Dhaka. Instead, it has all along been a financial investment sector.

"Had it been an industry to solve housing problems, how could the land developers indulge in unplanned and destructive activities?" he said.

The developers have never followed the housing policy for the major segment of the population including lower, lower middle and upper middle classes of people. They have. neither bothered about land development policy for Dhaka, he observed.

Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) KAM Haroon said that authorities would never entertain unacceptable demands of the private housing developers, as presented in the form of an advertisement.

"We have already filed quite a number of cases against entrepreneurs of illegal housing projects."

He also said, "We categorically said at a recent meeting attended by Rehab that we will retain all the original canals, wetlands and designated retention ponds in the DAP. There is no alternative to preparing DAP on the basis of CS records."