The escalating house rent prices are amplifying challenges for Dhaka’s lower-income residents, already strained by escalating living costs. With a considerable portion of the city’s 15 million inhabitants residing as tenants, the situation exacerbates financial constraints.
Landlords traditionally hike rents at the onset of each year, with reports from Prothom Alo highlighting increases ranging from 500 to 5,000 takas across various capital regions. Notably, tenants often allocate a significant portion of their earnings towards housing, impacting their ability to afford basic necessities.
The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) recently unveiled a house rent index, indicating a surge in rent prices for mud houses during the April-June period. However, discrepancies emerge when comparing the BBS data with actual rental rates, notably in areas like Mirpur 2, where prevailing rates surpass official figures.
Despite the existing 1991 legislation aimed at regulating house rents and a subsequent High Court directive in 2015 to establish a commission for rent standardization, implementation gaps persist. This regulatory void empowers landlords to arbitrarily adjust rents, further straining tenants’ financial stability.
Various factors, including rising essential commodity prices, loan interests, and maintenance costs, motivate landlords to escalate rents. However, the absence of defined rent standards based on geographical areas enables unchecked increases, compelling tenants towards more affordable, albeit distant, housing options.
Baharane Sultan, representing the Bangladesh Tenant Federation and Tenant Council, underscores the urgency for establishing rent caps based on regional parameters. Sultan advocates for government intervention to alleviate the mounting financial pressures faced by Dhaka’s tenant population, emphasizing the need for tangible regulatory reforms.
