Gated community gaining popularity among rich

The rich are increasingly opting for gated communities that offer safety, security and all modern amenities behind high walls and tightly controlled entrances – an escape from the usual chaos of the cities.

High profit for real-estate companies and rising demand among the growing rich have spurred the growth of such housing projects in and around the major cities in the country.

There are about 25 gated communities in the capital, according to the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB).

RAJUK town planner Ashraful Islam said that residents ideally get all

primary services within 15 minutes of walking distance inside a gated community.

He said at least 60 per cent of space should be kept for common use and . Although there is no specific area limit, a gated community should have a population of no less than 1,500 families.

Prices of flats inside the gated communities are much higher compared to those outside the areas. Depending on the apartment size and location, the costs could go above Tk 3 crore.

For example, a luxurious flat at The Oasis gated community at Moghbazar costs around Tk 3 crore and comes with an array of facilities.

“We are offering world-class living facility in Bangladesh,” Rakeen Development Company (BD) Limited’s Senior General Manager (Sales) SM Shakeel Sarwar said.

What’s driving the popularity?

Residents of the gated communities who spoke to The Business Post said that they chose the particular places because they are secure, have ample open space and offer all facilities people need in one place.

Abdul Hye Hannan, living in the Bijoy Rakeen City of Rakeen Development, said he preferred the planned housing project to live in safety and comfort.

“There’s a mosque near my house, wide sidewalks, shops and open space inside the project,” the retired seaman said. “I chose this place to enjoy my retirement.”

Md Asadul Haque, who lives in the same area, said his children would start school in two years.

“My children can play in playgrounds and swim in the pool, which will help them grow up in a social environment,” he said, adding that social bonding is rare in urban life outside such housing projects.

Rupayan City Uttara resident Md Omar Faruque said that open space and availability of all primary civic services attracted him.

‘Following world standard’

Rupayan Group spokesperson Mehedi Hasan claimed that they are following the global standard while building gated communities.

“After getting huge response from customers at Rupayan City Uttara, we are moving to build more gated communities in Dhaka and other cities and even outside the country,” he told The Business Post.

But Bangladesh Institute of Planners General Secretary Professor Adil Mohammad Khan said such modern housing facilities should not be in the city’s heart.

These should be on the outskirts of the city to cut population density, he said.

“In the true sense, no gated community maintains standard (e.g., keeping 60 per cent open space) here due to lax monitoring of the authorities concerned,” he said.

The holy trinity: Trust, land and money

Urban planners said that a gated community was the best solution to the housing crisis in Dhaka and the real-estate companies should tap into it.

RAJUK town planner and Director of Detailed Area Plan project Ashraful said they encourage gated community projects by permitting additional heights for buildings.

Rakeen’s Shakeel pointed out that a massive crisis of clean and undisputed land and investment are mainly choking the gated communities’ growth.

Some of the realtors identified lack of customers’ trust, quality raw materials, smooth supply of goods like elevators, generators and electric appliances and modern construction equipment as reasons hamstringing the sector.

Shakeel said the clients’ lack of faith affected their sales when they first started selling flats between 2015 and 2016.

Real-estate companies blamed land and plan permission complexity, unavailability of raw materials, sudden price rise of construction materials and natural calamities for delaying construction work.

Not all roses

Flat owners in many gated communities have accused developers of not providing some of the promised services. Some communities lack schools, healthcare, adequate open space and other facilities typically advertised to attract clients.

BUET’s urban and regional planning department Chairman Professor Md Musleh Uddin Hasan said strict monitoring by the authorities concerned could ensure that real-estate companies would stick to their original design.

Md Mostafa, an apartment owner at Japan Garden City, a pioneer gated community in Bangladesh, said the real-estate company had promised to make the housing project a garden city. “It’s a garden city only in name,” he said.

Mostafa said there’s no school in the project. They built a small fountain calling it a lake and the road is narrower than originally planned.

“The builder did not keep his words,” said SM Shahjahan Ali, president of Japan Garden City Flat Owners’ Welfare Association.

Japan Garden City Managing Director Md Wahiduzzaman did not respond to requests for comments.

REHAB President Alamgir Shamsul Alamin clarified that RAJUK could address issues of breach of promises by real-estate companies.

He suggested the people not to be deceived by the flowery advertisements and check the housing projects themselves.

Gated communities for the middle class?

REHAB Vice-President Kamal Mahmud said the demand for luxurious and mid-priced flats has increased in Dhaka specifically.

The country will need 11.50 lakh unit urban housing by 2030 but real-estate companies can build only 2.50 lakh units, he said.

Over 5,000 real-estate companies, including 888 members of REHAB, are working to ensure housing, while RAJUK and the National Housing Authority too are also doing the same.

Real-estate companies said gated communities for the middle-income will become a reality if they are given large plots.

REHAB President Alamin said they have proposed the government to allocate large plots for gated community for different income groups.

He said that flat prices in Dhaka is higher than many cities in the world mainly because of the expensive land.

“If the government gave us land, we could provide affordable housing for different income groups in gated communities,” he said.