HC set to deliver verdict today

The High Court is set to deliver verdict today on a writ petition regarding enforcement of the house rent law, over two years past concluding hearings in April 2013.

The HC bench of Justice Mohammad Bazlur Rahman and Justice Md Ruhul Quddus fixed the date on Tuesday, petitioner's counsel Manzill Murshid and Deputy Attorney General Goutam Kumar Roy told The Daily Star yesterday.

Rights body Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed the petition in April 2010 seeking HC directives on the government for strict enforcement of House Rent Control Act 1991 to prevent the capital's house owners from arbitrarily raising and taking in advance rent.

The next month, the court issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to enforce the law properly.

During the hearings, Manzill prayed for HC directives on the government so that the transactions took place through banks so as to ensure the government can collect due revenue.

The house owners arbitrarily increase rent and evict tenants without notice defying the law, he argued.

The attorney general's office opposed the petition saying there were several government rent controllers for disposing of the allegations.