Bashundhara Residents Resist DNCC Takeover amid Controversial Transfer Fees Editorial Desk Residents of Bashundhara Residential
Residents of Bashundhara Residential Area, which falls under the jurisdiction of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), are strongly opposing the corporation’s move to take over civic services in the locality.
On May 6, 2026, Bashundhara Welfare Society President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal, MP, Kishoreganj-5 and Secretary General Captain (retd) Sheikh Ehsan Reza sent a formal letter to the DNCC administrator requesting that the area be kept outside DNCC control.
They argue that the Welfare Society has been successfully managing all civic services — including security, waste collection, roads, and drainage — using funds collected from residents.
Bashundhara Welfare Society and its influence by the Bashundhara owners:
# Role in the Area: It manages key civic services — roads, drainage, waste collection, security, mosquito control, street lighting, and more — without relying on Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). Supporters credit it for keeping Bashundhara clean, secure, and well-planned.
# Recent Leadership: In April 2026, a new committee was formed with Sk Mozibur Rahman Iqbal (independent lawmaker) as president and Captain (retd) Shaikh Ehsan Reza as secretary general.
# Controversy Angle: While the society presents itself as a residents’ welfare organization, questions persist about its independence.
Some residents accuse it of serving the interests of the Bashundhara owners, especially regarding fees, permissions, and control over the community.
“While the Bashundhara Welfare Society has earned praise for maintaining strong security, clean roads, and disciplined management, it has faced consistent criticism over poor drainage and mosquito control.
Residents frequently report severe waterlogging on key roads after even moderate rainfall, with some areas remaining flooded for hours.
Mosquito breeding due to stagnant water remains a major nuisance, despite regular fumigation drives.
Critics argue that although the society performs better than many parts of Dhaka North City Corporation, it still fails to meet the standards expected from a premium privately-managed residential area.”
However, this resistance has brought renewed attention to a bigger and more controversial issue — the hefty transfer fees being charged by Bashundhara Group.
East West Property Development, a company under the Bashundhara Group, is currently charging 10 lakh taka per katha as transfer fee whenever a plot is sold. For a 5-katha plot, this means 50 lakh taka, and for a 10-katha plot, a staggering 1 crore taka — on top of all regular government taxes.
Many plot owners call it illegal or unfair because:
#Once you’ve got the registered deed and full ownership, there’s no clear law that lets a private developer keep charging extra every time you sell or transfer the property.
# You already pay all the normal government fees (stamp duty, registration, taxes, etc.). This is an extra charge on top, just for their “approval.”
Legal experts have clearly stated that there is no specific law in Bangladesh that allows a private developer to charge such a fee once full ownership rights have been transferred to the buyer through registered deeds.
The government had banned such developer approval or transfer fees in November 2025, yet Bashundhara temporarily reduced it to 5 lakh and later increased it back to 10 lakh per katha.
Critics argue that if DNCC takes full control of Bashundhara — just as it manages Gulshan, Banani, and other upscale areas under its jurisdiction — there should be no need for a parallel private welfare society to collect money from residents and run civic services independently.
In other parts of the city, residents’ welfare associations usually work in coordination with the city corporation, not as a separate authority.
The core question now being raised is this: Why should plot owners continue to pay such large sums to a private developer every time they sell their property when there is no legal basis for it? Many believe the government and regulatory authorities should take stronger action to stop this practice and protect residents from these extra financial burdens.
