REHAB President Dr Ali Afzal said government policies, tax rules and registration procedures are forcing legally earned income in Bangladesh’s housing sector to remain undisclosed. In an interview published by Amar Desh on August 2, 2026, he said 95 percent of businesses involved in land and apartments were in poor condition. Construction costs have risen by more than 40 percent, pushing flat prices beyond many buyers’ means and discouraging new projects.

Afzal described provisions in the Detailed Area Plan, or DAP, as discriminatory and detached from reality. He argued that population growth had not been adequately considered in planning. He called for coordination between public and private parties, government responsibility for utility services, and consistent rules for approving high-rise buildings. He also said taxes on products used by support industries total about 44 percent and that property registration costs are high.

The REHAB chief proposed a one-stop service, approval of plans within 30 days of complete document submission, and an end to harassment at registrar offices. He estimated that Tk50,000 crore to Tk60,000 crore in flat transactions goes undisclosed annually, arguing that minimum-value registration rules make it difficult to report actual sale values and profits.