Government officials and employees have illegally occupied some 128 houses or residences across the country, Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain told Parliament today.

The minister placed this information in the House while replying to lawmakers' queries.

Of the total number, one is of F category, two are of superior category, 12 are E class, 53 are different kinds of abandoned houses or residences, 56 are of D category and four are temporary houses, the minister said.

In a scripted answer, Mosharraf Hossain also said public servants have been living in those houses or residences through filing cases with different courts.

The minister said advertisement has been published in newspapers to appoint two lawyers to ensure the quick disposal of the cases.

Replying to another query, the housing minister said the number of abandoned houses in the country is as many as 10,414.

Of the total number, there are-6,406 in Dhaka, 62 in Narayanganj, 3 in Gazipur, 2 in Narsingdi, 26 in Rajbari, 228 in Rajshahi, 7 in Natore, 16 in Chapainawabganj, 30 in Naogaon, 123 in Pabna, 13 in Sirajganj, 280 in Bogra, 1 in Joyourhat, 1421 in Khulna, 1 in Bagerhat, 92 in Jessore, 507 in Kusthia, 27 in Chuadanga, 353 in Chittagong, 3 in Comilla, 1 in Cox's Bazar, 4 in Sylhet, 42 in Rangpur, 378 in Dinajpur, 223 in Nilphamari, 17 in Kurigram, 9 in Thakurgaon, 108 in Lalmonirhat and 21 in Gaibandha.

PURBACHAL TOWN TO ACCOMMODATE 1 CRORE PEOPLE

In reply to a query, Mosharraf Hossain said, implementation of Purbachal New Town Project would create accommodation facilities for about one crore people.

The minister said there are 25,016 residential and 1,992 other plots in the town and around 85 percent work on land development has been completed.

In a scripted answer, he also said there is no plot in the Purbachal New Town Project at this moment for allocation.

Purbachal New Town Project would be fit for human habitation after development of infrastructure.

Replying to another query, the minister said the government has handed over 1,815 plots to allottees in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd phases of the housing project.