A land allocation originally intended for urban greening in Dhaka’s Purbachal New Town project has become the centre of controversy after it emerged that part of the site was later permitted for a commercial food court, raising questions over governance, land-use compliance and administrative authority.
The area in question lies in Sector 1 of the Purbachal New Town project, near the Nila Market bridge over the Tongi canal. The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) had granted permission to the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) to use the canal-side land strictly for tree plantation and the development of a green belt. However, instead of implementing a plantation programme, the site was partially allocated to a private firm, Vivid Construction, for what was described as a combined greening and food court initiative.
According to DNCC property records, on 3 November last year, Vivid Construction’s Chief Executive Officer, Xavier S. Biswas, was authorised to establish 15 food stalls on a two-year basis. The arrangement stated that the company would develop greenery in exchange for operating the commercial facilities, ostensibly to help cover maintenance costs.
Officials from RAJUK have since argued that the permission granted was strictly limited to plantation and environmental improvement. They maintain that there was no legal scope for sub-leasing or converting the land into commercial premises such as food stalls. When attempts were made to install such structures, RAJUK officials reportedly intervened to stop the activity.
The site itself stretches roughly 300 metres along both banks of the Tongi canal, adjacent to the 300-feet Purbachal Expressway and near local residential and market areas. Field observations show installations including 14 solar-powered street lights, advertising panels marked “Your Ad Here”, and partial walkway infrastructure already in place.
Key Developments
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July (previous year) | Vivid Construction submits application for site use |
| 3 November | DNCC approves 15 food stalls with greening conditions |
| 4 December | Food court operations suspended temporarily |
| 27 November | Anti-corruption inquiry into DNCC administration begins |
DNCC officials have stated that the initiative was conceived as a pilot project combining environmental development with limited commercial activity to fund upkeep. However, RAJUK officials insist that such commercialisation exceeds the scope of the original approval.
Further complicating matters, Purbachal New Town is not yet formally under DNCC jurisdiction, as the area falls within Rupganj Upazila of Narayanganj District. This raises additional procedural concerns regarding which authority had the legal mandate to issue commercial permissions.
Following the emergence of irregularities and allegations of unauthorised dealings, the food court operation was suspended, although the formal approval was reportedly not fully revoked, only temporarily halted.
Vivid Construction has claimed it invested between 1 million and 1.5 million taka in site preparation, tree planting, and solar installations, and has expressed concern over financial losses and uncertainty regarding its security deposit.
The case has now become emblematic of broader governance challenges surrounding land use, inter-agency coordination, and oversight in major urban development projects.