Detectives of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested former Housing and Public Works Minister RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury from Mirpur area, said police on Friday morning. The arrest was made on Thursday night, said Reazul Karim Mallik, additional police commissioner (intelligence) of the DMP. The former minister is an accused in several murder cases and he will be produced before a Dhaka court with a prayer for remand, he informed. Muktadir was elected four times from Brahmanbaria-3 seat as an Awami League candidate. He joined Bangladesh Civil Service as an admin cadre in 1983 and worked as personal assistant secretary of the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina in 1986. 

There are more than 6,000 abandoned houses in Dhaka city, said Housing and Public Works Minister RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury in Parliament on Wednesday. “There are 6,372 abandoned houses in the capital city,” he said, replying to a question from independent lawmaker Muhammad Saiful Islam (Dhaka-19). According to data placed by the Minister in the House, the highest 3,582 abandoned houses are in Mirpur, while 1,542 ones in Mohammadpur. New executive committee of BSFA pays homage to Bangabandhu Other abandoned houses include 128 ones are in Gulshan, 9 in Banani, 62 in Moghbazar, 36 in Tejgaon, 19 in Nakhalpara, 26 in Cantonment, 38 in Basabo, 10 in Shahjahanpur, 12 in Khilgaon, 2 in Jurain, 72 in Motijheel, 158 in Ramna, 320 in Sutrapur, 174 in Lalbagh, 46 in Kotwali, 88 in Dhanmondi, 25 in Lalmatia, 4 in Jatrabari and 1 in Maniknagar. Among the abandoned houses, 20 ones are now being used as educational institutes and 4 ones as construction firms. Media houses can’t sack journalists with short notice: Arafat The Minister said the reserved abandoned houses are being used for the construction of residential flats for officers/employees and the flats are being allocated to the officers/employees on rental basis. The saleable abandoned houses are being sold to various individuals, institutions, the family of martyr freedom fighters, war wounded freedom fighters and allottees with the permission of the Prime Minister. All but AL want to end capacity payments in power sector: CPD In the last three financial years, some Tk 12.68 crore were reaslised as rents from the abandoned houses in Dhaka city, while some Tk 2.31 crore was collected as the sale values. At the beginning of the day’s business, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, who was chairing the House, tabled the question-answer session for Wednesday.